Isolation of Hydrazide-alkenes with Different Amino Acid Origins from an Azoxy-alkene-Producing Mutant of Streptomyces rochei 7434AN4.

A triple mutant (strain KA57) of Streptomyces rochei 7434AN4 produces an azoxy-alkene compound, KA57A, which was not detected in a parent strain or other single and double mutants. This strain accumulated several additional minor components, whose structures were elucidated. HPLC analysis of strain KA57 indicated the presence of two UV active components (KA57D1 and KA57D2) as minor components. They exhibited a maximum UV absorbance at 218 nm, whereas a UV absorbance of azoxy-alkene KA57A was detected at 236 nm, suggesting that both KA57D1 and KA57D2 contain a different chromophore from KA57A. KA57D1 has a molecular formula of C12H22N2O2, and NMR analysis revealed KA57D1 is a novel hydrazide-alkene compound, (Z)-N-acetyl-N'-(hex-1-en-1-yl)isobutylhydrazide. Labeling studies indicated that nitrogen Nß of KA57D1 is derived from l-glutamic acid, and the isobutylamide unit (C-1 to C-3, 2-Me, and Nα) originates from valine. KA57D2 has a molecular formula of C13H24N2O2, and its structure was determined to be (Z)-N-acetyl-N'-(hex-1-en-1-yl)-2-methylbutanehydrazide, in which a 2-methylbutanamide unit was shown to originate from isoleucine. Different biogenesis of the Nα atom (l-serine for KA57A, l-valine for KA57D1, and l-isoleucine for KA57D2) indicates the relaxed substrate recognition for nitrogen-nitrogen bond formation in the biosyntheses of KA57A, KA57D1, and KA57D2.

Isolation and Biosynthesis of an Azoxyalkene Compound Produced by a Multiple Gene Disruptant of Streptomyces rochei.

Streptomyces rochei 7434AN4 predominantly produces lankacidin and lankamycin under normal culture conditions, thus suggesting that other biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites are silent. To identify the silent metabolites of 7434AN4, we constructed mutant KA57 with multiple disruptions of the transcriptional repressor srrB and the biosynthesis genes for both antibiotics. KA57 accumulated a compound (KA57A) with a strong UV absorption at 235 nm, not detected in the parent strain or other mutants. Various spectroscopic analyses revealed that KA57A is an azoxyalkene compound with the molecular formula C10 H20 N2 O3 and with the R configuration at C-2. Biosynthesis of KA57A was also studied by feeding with labeled acetates, amino acids, and 1-hexylamine. The hexenyl moiety (C1'-C6') was derived from fatty acid, whereas the 3-aminobutan-1,2-diol moiety (C1-C4) was derived from C-2 of acetate (C1) and serine (C2-C4). Incorporation of [1,1-(2) H2 ]-1-hexylamine indicated that C1'-C2' dehydrogenation occurs as the final step of biosynthesis.