Automated Platform for the Plasmid Construction Process.

There is a growing need for applications capable of handling large synthesis biology experiments. At the core of synthetic biology is the process of cloning and manipulating DNA as plasmids. Here, we report the development of an application named DNAda capable of writing automation instructions for any given DNA construct design generated by the J5 DNA assembly program. We also describe the automation pipeline and several useful features. The pipeline is particularly useful for the construction of combinatorial DNA assemblies. Furthermore, we demonstrate the platform by constructing a library of polyketide synthase parts, which includes 120 plasmids ranging in size from 7 to 14 kb from 4 to 7 DNA fragments.

Maximizing Heterologous Expression of Engineered Type I Polyketide Synthases: Investigating Codon Optimization Strategies.

Type I polyketide synthases (T1PKSs) hold enormous potential as a rational production platform for the biosynthesis of specialty chemicals. However, despite great progress in this field, the heterologous expression of PKSs remains a major challenge. One of the first measures to improve heterologous gene expression can be codon optimization. Although controversial, choosing the wrong codon optimization strategy can have detrimental effects on the protein and product levels. In this study, we analyzed 11 different codon variants of an engineered T1PKS and investigated in a systematic approach their influence on heterologous expression in Corynebacterium glutamicum, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas putida. Our best performing codon variants exhibited a minimum 50-fold increase in PKS protein levels, which also enabled the production of an unnatural polyketide in each of these hosts. Furthermore, we developed a free online tool (https://basebuddy.lbl.gov) that offers transparent and highly customizable codon optimization with up-to-date codon usage tables. In this work, we not only highlight the significance of codon optimization but also establish the groundwork for the high-throughput assembly and characterization of PKS pathways in alternative hosts.

Transcriptome architecture of the three main lineages of agrobacteria.

Agrobacteria are a diverse, polyphyletic group of prokaryotes with multipartite genomes capable of transferring DNA into the genomes of host plants, making them an essential tool in plant biotechnology. Despite their utility in plant transformation, genome-wide transcriptional regulation is not well understood across the three main lineages of agrobacteria. Transcription start sites (TSSs) are a necessary component of gene expression and regulation. In this study, we used differential RNA-seq and a TSS identification algorithm optimized on manually annotated TSS, then validated with existing TSS to identify thousands of TSS with nucleotide resolution for representatives of each lineage. We extend upon the 356 TSSs previously reported in Agrobacterium fabrum C58 by identifying 1,916 TSSs. In addition, we completed genomes and phenotyping of Rhizobium rhizogenes C16/80 and Allorhizobium vitis T60/94, identifying 2,650 and 2,432 TSSs, respectively. Parameter optimization was crucial for an accurate, high-resolution view of genome and transcriptional dynamics, highlighting the importance of algorithm optimization in genome-wide TSS identification and genomics at large. The optimized algorithm reduced the number of TSSs identified internal and antisense to the coding sequence on average by 90.5% and 91.9%, respectively. Comparison of TSS conservation between orthologs of the three lineages revealed differences in cell cycle regulation of ctrA as well as divergence of transcriptional regulation of chemotaxis-related genes when grown in conditions that simulate the plant environment. These results provide a framework to elucidate the mechanistic basis and evolution of pathology across the three main lineages of agrobacteria. IMPORTANCE Transcription start sites (TSSs) are fundamental for understanding gene expression and regulation. Agrobacteria, a group of prokaryotes with the ability to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants, are widely used in plant biotechnology. However, the genome-wide transcriptional regulation of agrobacteria is not well understood, especially in less-studied lineages. Differential RNA-seq and an optimized algorithm enabled identification of thousands of TSSs with nucleotide resolution for representatives of each lineage. The results of this study provide a framework for elucidating the mechanistic basis and evolution of pathology across the three main lineages of agrobacteria. The optimized algorithm also highlights the importance of parameter optimization in genome-wide TSS identification and genomics at large.

Improved polyketide production in C. glutamicum by preventing propionate-induced growth inhibition.

Corynebacterium glutamicum is a promising host for production of valuable polyketides. Propionate addition, a strategy known to increase polyketide production by increasing intracellular methylmalonyl-CoA availability, causes growth inhibition in C. glutamicum. The mechanism of this inhibition was unclear before our work. Here we provide evidence that accumulation of propionyl-CoA and methylmalonyl-CoA induces growth inhibition in C. glutamicum. We then show that growth inhibition can be relieved by introducing methylmalonyl-CoA-dependent polyketide synthases. With germicidin as an example, we used adaptive laboratory evolution to leverage the fitness advantage of polyketide production in the presence of propionate to evolve improved germicidin production. Whole-genome sequencing revealed mutations in germicidin synthase, which improved germicidin titer, as well as mutations in citrate synthase, which effectively evolved the native glyoxylate pathway to a new methylcitrate pathway. Together, our results show that C. glutamicum is a capable host for polyketide production and we can take advantage of propionate growth inhibition to drive titers higher using laboratory evolution or to screen for production of polyketides.

Comparative genomic analysis of Streptomyces rapamycinicus NRRL 5491 and its mutant overproducing rapamycin.

Streptomyces rapamycinicus NRRL 5491 is a well-known producer of rapamycin, a secondary metabolite with useful bioactivities, including antifungal, antitumor, and immunosuppressive functions. For the enhanced rapamycin production, a rapamycin-overproducing strain SRMK07 was previously obtained as a result of random mutagenesis. To identify genomic changes that allowed the SRMK07 strain's enhanced rapamycin production, genomes of the NRRL 5491 and SRMK07 strains were newly sequenced in this study. The resulting genome sequences of the wild-type and SRMK07 strains showed the size of 12.47 Mbp and 9.56 Mbp, respectively. Large deletions were observed at both end regions of the SRMK07 strain's genome, which cover 17 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) encoding secondary metabolites. Also, genes in a genomic region containing the rapamycin BGC were shown to be duplicated. Finally, comparative metabolic network analysis using these two strains' genome-scale metabolic models revealed biochemical reactions with different metabolic fluxes, which were all associated with NADPH generation. Taken together, the genomic and computational approaches undertaken in this study suggest biological clues for the enhanced rapamycin production of the SRMK07 strain. These clues can also serve as a basis for systematic engineering of a production host for further enhanced rapamycin production.

Comprehensive 16S rRNA and metagenomic data from the gut microbiome of aging and rejuvenation mouse models.

The gut microbiota is associated with the health and longevity of the host. A few methods, such as fecal microbiota transplantation and oral administration of probiotics, have been applied to alter the gut microbiome and promote healthy aging. The changes in host microbiomes still remain poorly understood. Here, we characterized both the changes in gut microbial communities and their functional potential derived from colon samples in mouse models during aging. We achieved this through four procedures including co-housing, serum injection, parabiosis, and oral administration of Akkermansia muciniphila as probiotics using bacterial 16 S rRNA sequencing and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The dataset comprised 16 S rRNA sequencing (36,249,200 paired-end reads, 107 sequencing data) and metagenomic sequencing data (307,194,369 paired-end reads, 109 sequencing data), characterizing the taxonomy of bacterial communities and their functional potential during aging and rejuvenation. The generated data expand the resources of the gut microbiome related to aging and rejuvenation and provide a useful dataset for research on developing therapeutic strategies to achieve healthy active aging.

System-Level Analysis of Transcriptional and Translational Regulatory Elements in Streptomyces griseus.

Bacteria belonging to Streptomyces have the ability to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites through a shift from primary to secondary metabolism regulated by complex networks activated after vegetative growth terminates. Despite considerable effort to understand the regulatory elements governing gene expression related to primary and secondary metabolism in Streptomyces, system-level information remains limited. In this study, we integrated four multi-omics datasets from Streptomyces griseus NBRC 13350: RNA-seq, ribosome profiling, dRNA-seq, and Term-Seq, to analyze the regulatory elements of transcription and translation of differentially expressed genes during cell growth. With the functional enrichment of gene expression in different growth phases, one sigma factor regulon and four transcription factor regulons governing differential gene transcription patterns were found. In addition, the regulatory elements of transcription termination and post-transcriptional processing at transcript 3'-end positions were elucidated, including their conserved motifs, stem-loop RNA structures, and non-terminal locations within the polycistronic operons, and the potential regulatory elements of translation initiation and elongation such as 5'-UTR length, RNA structures at ribosome-bound sites, and codon usage were investigated. This comprehensive genetic information provides a foundational genetic resource for strain engineering to enhance secondary metabolite production in Streptomyces.

Genome-scale analysis of genetic regulatory elements in Streptomyces avermitilis MA-4680 using transcript boundary information.

BACKGROUND: The gram-positive bacterium, Streptomyces avermitilis, holds industrial importance as the producer of avermectin, a widely used anthelmintic agent, and a heterologous expression host of secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters. Despite its industrial importance, S. avermitilis' genome organization and regulation of gene expression remain poorly understood. In this study, four different types of Next-Generation Sequencing techniques, including dRNA-Seq, Term-Seq, RNA-Seq and ribosome profiling, were applied to S. avermitilis to determine transcription units of S. avermitilis at a genome-wide level and elucidate regulatory elements for transcriptional and translational control of individual transcription units. RESULT: By applying dRNA-Seq and Term-Seq to S. avermitilis MA-4680, a total of 2361 transcription start sites and 2017 transcript 3'-end positions were identified, respectively, leading to determination of 1601 transcription units encoded in S. avermitilis' genome. Cataloguing the transcription units and integrated analysis of multiple high-throughput data types revealed the presence of diverse regulatory elements for gene expression, such as promoters, 5'-UTRs, terminators, 3'-UTRs and riboswitches. The conserved promoter motifs were identified from 2361 transcription start sites as 5'-TANNNT and 5'-BTGACN for the - 10 and - 35 elements, respectively. The - 35 element and spacer lengths between - 10 and - 35 elements were critical for transcriptional regulation of functionally distinct genes, suggesting the involvement of unique sigma factors. In addition, regulatory sequences recognized by antibiotic regulatory proteins were identified from the transcription start site information. Analysis of the 3'-end of RNA transcript revealed that stem structure formation is a major determinant for transcription termination of most transcription units. CONCLUSIONS: The transcription unit architecture elucidated from the transcripts' boundary information provides insights for unique genetic regulatory mechanisms of S. avermitilis. Our findings will elevate S. avermitilis' potential as a production host for a diverse set of secondary metabolites.

Re-classification of Streptomyces venezuelae strains and mining secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters.

Streptomyces species have attracted considerable interest as a reservoir of medically important secondary metabolites, which are even diverse and different between strains. Here, we reassess ten Streptomyces venezuelae strains by presenting the highly resolved classification, using 16S rRNA sequencing, MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling, and whole-genome sequencing. The results revealed that seven of the ten strains were misclassified as S. venezuelae species. Secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene cluster (smBGC) mining and targeted LC-MS/MS based metabolite screening of S. venezuelae and misclassified strains identified in total 59 secondary metabolites production. In addition, a comparison of pyrrolamide-type antibiotic BGCs of four misclassified strains, followed by functional genomics, revealed that athv28 is critical in the synthesis of the anthelvencin precursor, 5-amino-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole-2-carboxylate (ADPC). Our findings illustrate the importance of the accurate classification and better utilization of misclassified Streptomyces strains to discover smBGCs and their secondary metabolite products.

Ageing and rejuvenation models reveal changes in key microbial communities associated with healthy ageing.

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota is associated with diverse age-related disorders. Several rejuvenation methods, such as probiotic administration and faecal microbiota transplantation, have been applied to alter the gut microbiome and promote healthy ageing. Nevertheless, prolongation of the health span of aged mice by remodelling the gut microbiome remains challenging. RESULTS: Here, we report the changes in gut microbial communities and their functions in mouse models during ageing and three rejuvenation procedures including co-housing, serum-injection and parabiosis. Our results showed that the compositional structure and gene abundance of the intestinal microbiota changed dynamically during the ageing process. Through the three rejuvenation procedures, we observed that the microbial community and intestinal immunity of aged mice were comparable to those of young mice. The results of metagenomic data analysis underscore the importance of the high abundance of Akkermansia and the butyrate biosynthesis pathway in the rejuvenated mouse group. Furthermore, oral administration of Akkermansia sufficiently ameliorated the senescence-related phenotype in the intestinal systems in aged mice and extended the health span, as evidenced by the frailty index and restoration of muscle atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the changes in key microbial communities and their functions during ageing and three rejuvenation procedures, and the increase in the healthy lifespan of aged mice by oral administration of Akkermansia. Our results provide a rationale for developing therapeutic strategies to achieve healthy active ageing. Video abstract.

Elucidating the Regulatory Elements for Transcription Termination and Posttranscriptional Processing in the Streptomyces clavuligerus Genome.

Identification of transcriptional regulatory elements in the GC-rich Streptomyces genome is essential for the production of novel biochemicals from secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs). Despite many efforts to understand the regulation of transcription initiation in smBGCs, information on the regulation of transcription termination and posttranscriptional processing remains scarce. In this study, we identified the transcriptional regulatory elements in ß-lactam antibiotic-producing Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064 by determining a total of 1,427 transcript 3'-end positions (TEPs) using the term-seq method. Termination of transcription was governed by three classes of TEPs, of which each displayed unique sequence features. The data integration with transcription start sites and transcriptome data generated 1,648 transcription units (TUs) and 610 transcription unit clusters (TUCs). TU architecture showed that the transcript abundance in TU isoforms of a TUC was potentially affected by the sequence context of their TEPs, suggesting that the regulatory elements of TEPs could control the transcription level in additional layers. We also identified TU features of a xenobiotic response element (XRE) family regulator and DUF397 domain-containing protein, particularly showing the abundance of bidirectional TEPs. Finally, we found that 189 noncoding TUs contained potential cis- and trans-regulatory elements that played a major role in regulating the 5' and 3' UTR. These findings highlight the role of transcriptional regulatory elements in transcription termination and posttranscriptional processing in Streptomyces sp.IMPORTANCE Streptomyces sp. is a great source of bioactive secondary metabolites, including antibiotics, antifungal agents, antiparasitic agents, immunosuppressant compounds, and other drugs. Secondary metabolites are synthesized via multistep conversions of the precursor molecules from primary metabolism, governed by multicomplex enzymes from secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. As their production is closely related with the growth phase and dynamic cellular status in response to various intra- and extracellular signals, complex regulatory systems tightly control the gene expressions related to secondary metabolism. In this study, we determined genome-wide transcript 3'-end positions and transcription units in the ß-lactam antibiotic producer Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064 to elucidate the transcriptional regulatory elements in transcription termination and posttranscriptional processing by integration of multiomics data. These unique features, such as transcript 3'-end sequence, potential riboregulators, and potential 3'-untranslated region (UTR) cis-regulatory elements, can be potentially used to design engineering tools that can regulate the transcript abundance of genes for enhancing secondary metabolite production.

Discovery of novel secondary metabolites encoded in actinomycete genomes through coculture.

Actinomycetes are a rich source of bioactive natural products important for novel drug leads. Recent genome mining approaches have revealed an enormous number of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs) in actinomycetes. However, under standard laboratory culture conditions, many smBGCs are silent or cryptic. To activate these dormant smBGCs, several approaches, including culture-based or genetic engineering-based strategies, have been developed. Above all, coculture is a promising approach to induce novel secondary metabolite production from actinomycetes by mimicking an ecological habitat where cryptic smBGCs may be activated. In this review, we introduce coculture studies that aim to expand the chemical diversity of actinomycetes, by categorizing the cases by the type of coculture partner. Furthermore, we discuss the current challenges that need to be overcome to support the elicitation of novel bioactive compounds from actinomycetes.

Systems and synthetic biology to elucidate secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters encoded in Streptomyces genomes.

Covering: 2010 to 2020 Over the last few decades, Streptomyces have been extensively investigated for their ability to produce diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. Recent advances in Streptomyces research have been largely supported by improvements in high-throughput technology 'omics'. From genomics, numerous secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were predicted, increasing their genomic potential for novel bioactive compound discovery. Additional omics, including transcriptomics, translatomics, interactomics, proteomics and metabolomics, have been applied to obtain a system-level understanding spanning entire bioprocesses of Streptomyces, revealing highly interconnected and multi-layered regulatory networks for secondary metabolism. The comprehensive understanding derived from this systematic information accelerates the rational engineering of Streptomyces to enhance secondary metabolite production, integrated with the exploitation of the highly efficient 'Design-Build-Test-Learn' cycle in synthetic biology. In this review, we describe the current status of omics applications in Streptomyces research to better understand the organism and exploit its genetic potential for higher production of valuable secondary metabolites and novel secondary metabolite discovery.

Genome-scale determination of 5´ and 3´ boundaries of RNA transcripts in Streptomyces genomes.

Streptomyces species are gram-positive bacteria with GC-rich linear genomes and they serve as dominant reservoirs for producing clinically and industrially important secondary metabolites. Genome mining of Streptomyces revealed that each Streptomyces species typically encodes 20-50 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs), emphasizing their potential for novel compound discovery. Unfortunately, most of smBGCs are uncharacterized in terms of their products and regulation since they are silent under laboratory culture conditions. To translate the genomic potential of Streptomyces to practical applications, it is essential to understand the complex regulation of smBGC expression and to identify the underlying regulatory elements. To progress towards these goals, we applied two Next-Generation Sequencing methods, dRNA-Seq and Term-Seq, to industrially relevant Streptomyces species to reveal the 5´ and 3´ boundaries of RNA transcripts on a genome scale. This data provides a fundamental resource to aid our understanding of Streptomyces' regulation of smBGC expression and to enhance their potential for secondary metabolite synthesis.

System-level understanding of gene expression and regulation for engineering secondary metabolite production in Streptomyces.

The gram-positive bacterium, Streptomyces, is noticed for its ability to produce a wide array of pharmaceutically active compounds through secondary metabolism. To discover novel bioactive secondary metabolites and increase the production, Streptomyces species have been extensively studied for the past decades. Among the cellular components, RNA molecules play important roles as the messengers for gene expression and diverse regulations taking place at the RNA level. Thus, the analysis of RNA-level regulation is critical to understanding the regulation of Streptomyces' metabolism and secondary metabolite production. A dramatic advance in Streptomyces research was made recently, by exploiting high-throughput technology to systematically understand RNA levels. In this review, we describe the current status of the system-wide investigation of Streptomyces in terms of RNA, toward expansion of its genetic potential for secondary metabolite synthesis.

Mini review: Genome mining approaches for the identification of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters in Streptomyces.

Streptomyces are a large and valuable resource of bioactive and complex secondary metabolites, many of which have important clinical applications. With the advances in high throughput genome sequencing methods, various in silico genome mining strategies have been developed and applied to the mapping of the Streptomyces genome. These studies have revealed that Streptomyces possess an even more significant number of uncharacterized silent secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs) than previously estimated. Linking smBGCs to their encoded products has played a critical role in the discovery of novel secondary metabolites, as well as, knowledge-based engineering of smBGCs to produce altered products. In this mini review, we discuss recent progress in Streptomyces genome sequencing and the application of genome mining approaches to identify and characterize smBGCs. Furthermore, we discuss several challenges that need to be overcome to accelerate the genome mining process and ultimately support the discovery of novel bioactive compounds.

Repurposing Modular Polyketide Synthases and Non-ribosomal Peptide Synthetases for Novel Chemical Biosynthesis.

In nature, various enzymes govern diverse biochemical reactions through their specific three-dimensional structures, which have been harnessed to produce many useful bioactive compounds including clinical agents and commodity chemicals. Polyketide synthases (PKSs) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) are particularly unique multifunctional enzymes that display modular organization. Individual modules incorporate their own specific substrates and collaborate to assemble complex polyketides or non-ribosomal polypeptides in a linear fashion. Due to the modular properties of PKSs and NRPSs, they have been attractive rational engineering targets for novel chemical production through the predictable modification of each moiety of the complex chemical through engineering of the cognate module. Thus, individual reactions of each module could be separated as a retro-biosynthetic biopart and repurposed to new biosynthetic pathways for the production of biofuels or commodity chemicals. Despite these potentials, repurposing attempts have often failed owing to impaired catalytic activity or the production of unintended products due to incompatible protein-protein interactions between the modules and structural perturbation of the enzyme. Recent advances in the structural, computational, and synthetic tools provide more opportunities for successful repurposing. In this review, we focused on the representative strategies and examples for the repurposing of modular PKSs and NRPSs, along with their advantages and current limitations. Thereafter, synthetic biology tools and perspectives were suggested for potential further advancement, including the rational and large-scale high-throughput approaches. Ultimately, the potential diverse reactions from modular PKSs and NRPSs would be leveraged to expand the reservoir of useful chemicals.

Comparative Genomics Determines Strain-Dependent Secondary Metabolite Production in Streptomyces venezuelae Strains.

Streptomyces venezuelae is well known to produce various secondary metabolites, including chloramphenicol, jadomycin, and pikromycin. Although many strains have been classified as S. venezuelae species, only a limited number of strains have been explored extensively for their genomic contents. Moreover, genomic differences and diversity in secondary metabolite production between the strains have never been compared. Here, we report complete genome sequences of three S. venezuelae strains (ATCC 10712, ATCC 10595, and ATCC 21113) harboring chloramphenicol and jadomycin biosynthetic gene clusters (BGC). With these high-quality genome sequences, we revealed that the three strains share more than 85% of total genes and most of the secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGC). Despite such conservation, the strains produced different amounts of chloramphenicol and jadomycin, indicating differential regulation of secondary metabolite production at the strain level. Interestingly, antagonistic production of chloramphenicol and jadomycin was observed in these strains. Through comparison of the chloramphenicol and jadomycin BGCs among the three strains, we found sequence variations in many genes, the non-coding RNA coding regions, and binding sites of regulators, which affect the production of the secondary metabolites. We anticipate that these genome sequences of closely related strains would serve as useful resources for understanding the complex secondary metabolism and for designing an optimal production process using Streptomyces strains.

Transcriptome and translatome profiles of Streptomyces species in different growth phases.

Streptomyces are efficient producers of various bioactive compounds, which are mostly synthesized by their secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (smBGCs). The smBGCs are tightly controlled by complex regulatory systems at transcriptional and translational levels to effectively utilize precursors that are supplied by primary metabolism. Thus, dynamic changes in gene expression in response to cellular status at both the transcriptional and translational levels should be elucidated to directly reflect protein levels, rapid downstream responses, and cellular energy costs. In this study, RNA-Seq and ribosome profiling were performed for five industrially important Streptomyces species at different growth phases, for the deep sequencing of total mRNA, and only those mRNA fragments that are protected by translating ribosomes, respectively. Herein, 12.0 to 763.8 million raw reads were sufficiently obtained with high quality of more than 80% for the Phred score Q30 and high reproducibility. These data provide a comprehensive understanding of the transcriptional and translational landscape across the Streptomyces species and contribute to facilitating the rational engineering of secondary metabolite production.