Eugene Thomas Seno

Plasmid cloning vectors for the conjugal transfer of DNA from Escherichia coli to Streptomyces spp.

We have constructed cloning vectors for the conjugal transfer of DNA from Escherichia coli to Streptomyces spp. All vectors contain the 760-bp oriT fragment from the IncP plasmid, RK2. Transfer functions need to be supplied in trans by the E. coli donor strain. We have incorporated into these vectors selectable antibiotic-resistance markers (AmR, ThR, SpR) that function in Streptomyces spp. and other features that should allow for: (i) integration via homologous recombination between cloned DNA and the Streptomyces spp. chromosome, (ii) autonomous replication, or (iii) site-specific integration at the bacteriophage phi C31 attachment site. Shuttle cosmids for constructing genomic libraries and bacteriophage P1 cloning vector capable of accepting approx. 100-kb fragments are also described. A simple mating procedure has been developed for the conjugal transfer of these vectors from E. coli to Streptomyces spp. that involves plating of the donor strain and either germinated spores or mycelial fragments of the recipient strain. We have shown that several of these vectors can be introduced into Streptomyces fradiae, a strain that is notoriously difficult to transform by PEG-mediated protoplast transformation.

Sequence similarity between macrolide-resistance determinants and ATP-binding transport proteins

The three macrolide-resistance-encoding genes, tlrC from Streptomyces fradiae, srmB from Streptomyces ambofaciens, and carA from Streptomyces thermotolerans, encode proteins that possess significant sequence similarity to ATP-dependent transport proteins. The N-terminal and C-terminal halves of these proteins are very similar to each other and contain highly conserved regions that resemble ATP-binding domains typically present within the superfamily of ATP-dependent transport proteins. These observations suggest that the mechanism by which these genes confer resistance to macrolides is due to export of the antibiotics, a process that is driven by energy derived from ATP hydrolysis.

Properties of Streptomyces fradiae Mutants Blocked in Biosynthesis of the Macrolide Antibiotic Tylosin

We isolated numerous mutants of Streptomyces fradiae blocked in tylosin biosynthesis after N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. These mutants were classified into nine groups, based upon the tylosin-like compounds produced and upon cofermentation analyses. More than 80% of the mutants isolated produced no tylosin-like compounds, and the majority of these were blocked only in the formation of tylactone. Four classes of mutants blocked in the biosynthesis or addition of tylosin sugars were isolated; tylA mutants were blocked in the formation of all three tylosin sugars, whereas tylB, tylC, and tylD mutants were blocked specifically in the biosynthesis or the addition of mycaminose, mycarose, and 6-deoxy-d-allose, respectively. Two classes of mutants (tylH and tylI) blocked in specific oxidations of tylactone and two classes (tylE and tylF) blocked in specific O-methylations of demethylmacrocin and macrocin were also characterized. Cofermentation and bioconversion studies with these mutants suggested the following relationships: (i) the tylosin sugars are derived from a common intermediate; (ii) tylactone is the first intermediate which can be excreted in appreciable quantities; (iii) the addition of mycaminose to the C-5 hydroxyl group of tylactone must precede oxidations at C-20 and C-23; (iv) oxidation at C-20 normally precedes the attachment of mycarose to the 4′ hydroxyl position of mycaminose; and (v) 6-deoxy-d-allose is added to the C-23 hydroxyl position of the lactone and subsequently O-methylated at 2‴ and 3‴ positions. The O-methylations appear to be the final two steps in tylosin biosynthesis, and the 2‴ O-methylation must occur before the 3‴ O-methylation can take place. All of the tyl mutants except the tylG mutants produced relatively high levels of tylosin-like intermediates or shunt products. Mutants blocked in specific steps other than 3‴ O-methylation, including a mutant blocked in 2‴ O-methylation of demethylmacrocin, produced normal levels of macrocin O-methyltransferase. Mutants apparently containing specific tylosin structural gene mutations produced normal levels of aerial mycelia and spores, produced low levels of tylosin aldehyde reductase, and were resistant to high levels of tylosin. However, three atypical tylG mutants produced no tylosin-like compounds, could not cosynthesize tylosin with any other tyl mutant, could not bioconvert tylactone or macrocin to tylosin, and produced no macrocin O-methyltransferase. These three mutants produced elevated levels of tylosin aldehyde reductase. In addition, one was very succeptible to tylosin and did not produce aerial mycelia or spores.

Cloning and expression of a tylosin resistance gene from a tylosin-producing strain of Streptomyces fradiae

SummaryA gene conferring high-level resistance to tylosin in Streptomyces lividans and Streptomyces griseofuscus was cloned from a tylosin-producing strain of Streptomyces fradiae. The tylosin-resistance (Tylr) gene (tlrA) was isolated on five overlapping DNA fragments which contained a common 2.6 Kb KpnI fragment. The KpnI fragment contained all of the information required for the expression of the Tylr phenotype in S. lividans and S. griseofuscus. Southern hybridization indicated that the sequence conferring tylosin resistance was present on the same 5 kb SalI fragment in genomic DNA from S. fradiae and several tylosin-sensitive (Tyls) mutants. The cloned tlrA gene failed to restore tylosin resistance in two Tyls mutants derived by protoplast formation and regeneration, and it restored partial resistance in a Tyls mutant obtained by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) mutagenesis. The tlrA gene conferred resistance to tylosin, carbomycin, niddamycin, vernamycin-B and, to some degree, lincomycin in S. griseofuscus, but it had no effect on sensitivity to streptomycin or spectinomycin, suggesting that the cloned gene is an MLS (macrolide, lincosamide, streptogramin-B)-resistance gene. Twenty-eight kb of S. fradiae DNA surrounding the tlrA gene was isolated from a genomic library in bacteriophage λ Charon 4. Introduction of these DNA sequence into S. fradiae mutants blocked at different steps in tylosin biosynthesis failed to restore tylosin production, suggesting that the cloned Tylr gene is not closely linked to tylosin biosynthetic genes.