Biosynthesis of nisin in the subtilin producer Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633

Summary Plasmids having the structural gene of nisin (nis A) combined with the subtilin or two hybrid subtilin-nisin leaders were integrated into the subtilin operon in the chromosome of a nisin-resistant and subtilin-producing strain of B. subtilis by single crossing over. Nisin was produced only when the leader consisted mainly of the nisin part. This indicates that nisin and its leader sequence might work as a couple that makes a recognizable conformation for the subtilin modification enzymes. Therefore recognition does not depend on the primary structure of the leader sequence itself.