Enhancement of neomycin production by engineering the entire biosynthetic gene cluster and feeding key precursors in Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.576.

Neomycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is widely used in the livestock husbandry due to its higher antimicrobial activity and availability of feed additives in animals. However, its production yield is relatively low and cannot meet the needs of developing market and clinical application. Here, the entire natural neo cluster was cloned from Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.576 by φBT1 integrase-mediated site-specific recombination. Then, the rational reconstruction of the neo cluster was performed by using λ-Red-mediated PCR targeting for improving neomycin production. In order to coordinate with this attempt, the supplementation of suitable precursors was carried out. The constructed recombinant strain Sf/pKCZ03 has multi-copy of the neo cluster modified by disrupting the negative regulatory gene neoI and replacing the native promoter of the neoE-D with PkasO*. Compared to the yield (1282 mg/L) of Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.576, the engineered strain Sf/pKCZ03 had a 36% enhancement of neomycin production. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed the increased transcription of structural genes (neoE, neoB, neoL, aacC8) and regulatory genes (neoR, neoH) in Sf/pKCZ03. Additionally, under the supplementation of 1 g/L N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and 5 g/L L-glutamine, the yield of engineered strain Sf/pKCZ03 showed 62% and 107% improvements compared to that of the wild-type strain in the original medium, respectively. These findings demonstrated that engineering the antibiotic gene cluster in combination with precursors feeding was an effective approach for strain improvement, and would be potentially extended to other Streptomyces for large-scale production of commercialized antibiotics.

Carbon-free production of 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose (DOI) in cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942.

Owing to their photosynthetic capabilities, there is increasing interest in utilizing cyanobacteria to convert solar energy into biomass. 2-Deoxy-scyllo-inosose (DOI) is a valuable starting material for the benzene-free synthesis of catechol and other benzenoids. DOI synthase (DOIS) is responsible for the formation of DOI from d-glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) in the biosynthesis of 2-deoxystreptamine-containing aminoglycoside antibiotics such as neomycin and butirosin. DOI fermentation using a recombinant Escherichia coli strain has been reported, although a carbon source is necessary for high-yield DOI production. We constructed DOI-producing cyanobacteria toward carbon-free and sustainable DOI production. A DOIS gene derived from the butirosin producer strain Bacillus circulans (btrC) was introduced and expressed in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. We ultimately succeeded in producing 400 mg/L of DOI in S. elongatus without using a carbon source. DOI production by cyanobacteria represents a novel and efficient approach for producing benzenoids from G6P synthesized by photosynthesis.

Component Optimization of Neomycin Biosynthesis via the Reconstitution of a Combinatorial Mini-Gene-Cluster in Streptomyces fradiae.

Neomycin, a multicomponent aminoglycoside antibiotic, is mainly utilized in livestock husbandry and feed additives in animals. The antimicrobial potency of the main product neomycin B is higher than that of its stereoisomer neomycin C. However, the content of neomycin C as an impurity in the high-producing strain is relatively high, and its isolation or removal from neomycin B is quite difficult, which influences the widespread application of neomycin. In this work, the essential genes responsible for neomycin biosynthesis were evaluated and overexpressed to reduce the content of neomycin C. Among them, neoG and neoH are two novel regulatory genes for neomycin biosynthesis, aphA is a resistance gene, neoN encoding a radical SAM-dependent epimerase is responsible for the conversion of neomycin C to B using SAM as the cofactor, and metK is a SAM synthetase coding gene. We demonstrated that the reconstitution and overexpression of a mini-gene-cluster (PkasO*-neoN-metK-PkasO*-neoGH-aphA) could effectively reduce the accumulation of neomycin C from 19.1 to 12.7% and simultaneously increase neomycin B by ∼13.1% in the engineered strain Sf/pKCZ04 compared with the wild-type strain (Sf). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the remarkable up-regulation of the neoE, neoH, neoN, and metK genes situated in the mini-gene-cluster. The findings will pave a new path for component optimization and the large-scale industrial production of significant commercial antibiotics.

Characterization of RbmD (glycosyltransferase in ribostamycin gene cluster) through neomycin production reconstituted from the engineered Streptomyces fradiae BS1.

Amino acid homology analysis predicted that rbmD, a putative glycosyltransferase from Streptomyces ribosidificus ATCC 21294, has the highest homology with neoD in neomycin biosynthesis. S. fradiae BS1, in which the production of neomycin was abolished, was generated by disruption of the neoD gene in the neomycin producer S. fradiae. The restoration of neomycin by self complementation suggested that there was no polar effect in the mutant. In addition, S. fradiae BS6 was created with complementation by rbmD in S. fradiae BS1, and secondary metabolite analysis by ESI/MS, LC/MS and MS/MS showed the restoration of neomycin production in S. fradiae BS6. These gene inactivation and complementation studies suggested that, like neoD, rbmD functions as a 2-N-acetlyglucosaminyltransferase and demonstrated the potential for the generation of novel aminoglycoside antibiotics using glycosyltransferases in vivo.

Functional characterization of kanB by complementing in engineered Streptomyces fradiae Deltaneo6::tsr.

A putative aminotransferase gene, kanB, lies in the biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces kanamyceticus ATCC 12853 and has 66% identity with neo6 in neomycin biosynthesis. Streptomyces fradiae Deltaneo6::tsr was generated by disrupting neo6 in the neomycin producer Streptomyces fradiae. Neomycin production was completely abolished in the disruptant mutant but was restored through self-complementation of neo6. S. fradiae HN4 was generated through complementation with kanB in Streptomyces fradiae neo6::tsr. Based on metabolite analysis by ESI/MS and LC/MS, neomycin production was restored in Streptomyces fradiae HN4. Thus, like neo6, kanB also functions as a 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose aminotransferase that has dual functions in the formation of 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose (DOS).

The neomycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces fradiae NCIMB 8233: genetic and biochemical evidence for the roles of two glycosyltransferases and a deacetylase.

An efficient protocol has been developed for the genetic manipulation of Streptomyces fradiae NCIMB 8233, which produces the 2-deoxystreptamine (2-DOS)-containing aminoglycoside antibiotic neomycin. This has allowed the in vivo analysis of the respective roles of the glycosyltransferases Neo8 and Neo15, and of the deacetylase Neo16 in neomycin biosynthesis. Specific deletion of each of the neo8, neo15 and neo16 genes confirmed that they are all essential for neomycin biosynthesis. The pattern of metabolites produced by feeding putative pathway intermediates to these mutants provided unambiguous support for a scheme in which Neo8 and Neo15, whose three-dimensional structures are predicted to be highly similar, have distinct roles: Neo8 catalyses transfer of N-acetylglucosamine to 2-DOS early in the pathway, while Neo15 catalyses transfer of the same aminosugar to ribostamycin later in the pathway. The in vitro substrate specificity of Neo15, purified from recombinant Escherichia coli, was fully consistent with these findings. The in vitro activity of Neo16, the only deacetylase so far recognised in the neo gene cluster, showed that it is capable of acting in tandem with both Neo8 and Neo15 as previously proposed. However, the deacetylation of N-acetylglucosaminylribostamycin was still observed in a strain deleted of the neo16 gene and fed with suitable pathway precursors, providing evidence for the existence of a second enzyme in S. fradiae with this activity.

The three-dimensional structure of NeoB: An aminotransferase involved in the biosynthesis of neomycin.

The aminoglycoside antibiotics, discovered as natural products in the 1940s, demonstrate a broad antimicrobial spectrum. Due to their nephrotoxic and ototoxic side effects, however, their widespread clinical usage has typically been limited to the treatment of serious infections. Neomycin B, first isolated from strains of Streptomyces in 1948, is one such drug that was approved for human use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1964. Only within the last 11 years has the biochemical pathway for its production been elaborated, however. Here we present the three-dimensional architecture of NeoB from Streptomyces fradiae, which is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate or PLP-dependent aminotransferase that functions on two different substrates in neomycin B biosynthesis. For this investigation, four high resolution X-ray structures of NeoB were determined in various complexed states. The overall fold of NeoB is that typically observed for members of the "aspartate aminotransferase" family with the exception of an additional three-stranded antiparallel ß-sheet that forms part of the subunit-subunit interface of the dimer. The manner in which the active site of NeoB accommodates quite different substrates has been defined by this investigation. In addition, during the course of this study, we also determined the structure of the aminotransferase GenB1 to high resolution. GenB1 functions as an aminotransferase in gentamicin biosynthesis. Taken together, the structures of NeoB and GenB1, presented here, provide the first detailed descriptions of aminotransferases that specifically function on aldehyde moieties in aminoglycoside biosynthesis.

Neomycin biosynthesis is regulated positively by AfsA-g and NeoR in Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.7387.

Neomycins are a group of aminoglycoside antibiotics with both clinical and agricultural applications. To elucidate the regulatory mechanism of neomycin biosynthesis, we completed draft genome sequencing of a neomycin producer Streptomyces fradiae CGMCC 4.7387 from marine sediments, and the neomycin biosynthesis gene cluster was identified. Inactivation of the afsA-g gene encoding a γ-butyrolactone (GBL) synthase in S. fradiae CGMCC 4.7387 resulted in a significant decrease of neomycin production. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcriptional level of neoR and the aphA-neoGH operon were reduced in the afsA-g::aac(3)IV mutant. Interestingly, a conserved binding site of AdpA, a key activator in the GBL regulatory cascade, was discovered upstream of neoR, a putative regulatory gene encoding a protein with an ATPase domain and a tetratricopeptide repeat domain. When neoR was inactivated, the neomycin production was reduced about 40% in comparison with the WT strain. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcriptional levels of genes in the aphA-neoGH operon were reduced clearly in the neoR::aac(3)IV mutant. Finally, the titers of neomycin were improved considerably by overexpression of afsA-g and neoR in S. fradiae CGMCC 4.7387.

Healthy mice with an altered c-myc gene: role of the 3' untranslated region revisited.

c-Myc is a protooncogene involved in the control of cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Like many other early response genes, regulation of c-myc expression is mainly controlled at the level of mRNA stability. Multiple cis-acting destabilizing elements have been described that are located both in the protein-coding region and in the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR). However, it is not known when they function during development and whether they act as partly redundant or independent elements to regulate c-myc mRNA level of expression. To begin to address these questions, we created a series of c-myc alleles modified in the 3' UTR, using homologous recombination and the Cre/loxP system, and analysed the consequences of these modifications in ES cells and transgenic animals. We found that deletion of the complete 3' UTR, including runs of Us and AU-rich elements proposed, on the basis of cell-culture assays, to be involved in the control of c-myc mRNA stability, did not alter the steady-state level of c-myc mRNA in any of the various situations analysed in vivo. Moreover, mice homozygous for the 3' UTR-deleted gene were perfectly healthy and fertile. Our results therefore strongly suggest that the 3' UTR of c-myc mRNA does not play a major role in the developmental control of c-myc expression.

Characterisation of aminoglycoside acetyltransferase-encoding genes of neomycin-producing Micromonospora chalcea and Streptomyces fradiae.

Two genes (aac) encoding aminoglycoside-N-acetyltransferase from Streptomyces fradiae and Micromonospora chalcea were cloned: the former identified by hybridization with a homologous gene from Streptomyces rimosus forma paromomycinus, the second by direct expression in Streptomyces lividans using pIJ702 as a vector. These two genes showed pronounced nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarities between themselves and also between previously described streptomycetes aac genes. Comparison of the flanking sequence of actinomycetes aac genes indicates considerable divergence, contrary to the notion that clustered biosynthetic genes for structurally related antibiotics were disseminated in their entirety between microbial species.

Transcriptional mapping of the promoter of the aminoglycoside acetyltransferase gene (aacC9) of neomycin-producing Micromonospora chalcea.

We have studied the promoter of the gene encoding aminoglycoside acetyltransferase (aacC9) in neomycin-producing Micromonospora chalcea. S1 nuclease mapping showed that the transcription initiation point of this gene is at the translation start point, with no evidence of a conventional ribosome-binding site. The aac of paromycin-producing Streptomyces rimosus forma paromomycinus shows the same characteristic; there is no homology in the promoter regions of the two genes, whereas the coding sequences are very similar.

TCDD affects DNA double strand-break repair.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an environmental toxicant, elicits a spectrum of deleterious biological responses including carcinogenesis. We hypothesize that TCDD exposure exerts its carcinogenicity, in part, by affecting the repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) through homologous recombination (HR), mediated by the AhR signaling pathway. To investigate this hypothesis we used a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line (CHO 33) containing a neo direct repeat recombination reporter substrate to determine whether TCDD affects DNA DSB repair. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial endonuclease I-SceI was used to induce a site specific DSB within the upstream neo recombination substrate in the CHO 33 cells. The cells were then exposed to 500 pM of TCDD in the presence or absence of the AhR antagonist alpha-naphthoflavone (0.1 microM) for 24 h. Two weeks later HR frequencies were determined by counting the number of functional neo expressing, G418-resistant colonies per live cells plated. TCDD significantly increased HR frequency, demonstrating that it does in fact modulate the repair of DNA DSBs. Southern blot analysis of G418-resistant colonies using a cDNA neo probe determined that both gene conversion and gene deletion HR events occurred as a result of DNA DSB repair and TCDD exposure. Exposure of cells to alpha-naphthoflavone resulted in a significant decrease in TCDD-induced HR frequency. These results demonstrate that TCDD, potentially acting via the AhR, can modulate HR repair of DNA DSBs in CHO 33 cells.

Sub-unit assembly in the biosynthesis of neomycin. The synthesis of 5-O-beta-D-ribofuranosyl and 4-O-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-2,6-dideoxystreptamines.

The preparation of the deoxy- analogues of two pseudodisaccharide fragments of neomycin, 5-O-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-2,6-dideoxy-streptamine and 6-deoxyneamine is described. When added to the growth medium of a deoxystreptamine-idiotroph of Streptomyces rimosus forma paromomycinus only the latter was incorporated into antibiotic, suggesting an obligatory order for the assembly of sub-units. 4-O-beta-D-Ribofuranosyl-2,6-dideoxystreptamine was also prepared. When added to the growth medium of a deoxystreptamine-idiotroph of Streptomyces fradiae it was converted into the 6-deoxyneomycins, apparently after hydrolysis to 2,6-dideoxystreptamine. The structure of the protected derivatives of the ribofuranosyl 2,6-dideoxystreptamines, potentially useful intermediates for the synthesis of novel antibiotics, was shown by using 15C NMR spectroscopy.

Neomycin biosynthesis: the incorporation of D-6-deoxy-glucose derivatives and variously labelled glucose into the 2-deoxystreptamine ring. Postulated involvement of 2-deoxyinosose synthase in the biosynthesis.

D-[6-3H3]6-Deoxy-5-ketoglucose (10) and D-[5,6-3H2]6-deoxyglucose (11) were incorporated into neomycins B and C using a growing culture of Streptomyces fradiae. D-[6-3H]6-Deoxy-5-ketoglucose was incorporated into neomycin, as efficiently as the well established precursor D-glucose, and was found to label exclusively the 2-deoxystreptamine ring of the antibiotic. The results strengthened the previous proposals that in the formation of 2-deoxystreptamine the C-6 hydroxyl group of D-glucose is removed prior to the cyclisation reaction. Studies using the incorporation of D-[3-3H]glucose, D-[3,4-3H2]glucose and D-[5-3H]glucose into neomycin followed by the degradation of the latter established that in the biosynthesis of the 2-deoxystreptamine ring the C-4 and C-5 hydrogen atoms of glucose are removed. The loss of the C-4 hydrogen atom of the glucose is attributed to the formation of a 4-keto derivative which facilitates the removal of the C-5 hydrogen atom thus setting the stage for the expulsion of the C-6 hydroxyl group. The 5,6-olefinic intermediate formed in the process then undergoes cyclisation eventually releasing 2-deoxyinosose. The enzyme systems which participate in the conversion of D-glucose equivalent into 2-deoxyinosose may be described as 2-deoxyinosose synthase that in broad mechanistic terms resembles dehydroquinate synthase.

6"'-Deamino-6"'-hydroxy derivatives, as intermediates in the biosynthesis of neomycin and paromomycin.

From broths of a neomycin producing Streptomyces fradiae and of a mutant of Streptomyces rimosus forma paromomycinus respectively, 6"'-deamino-6"'-hydroxyneomycin and 6"'-deamino-6"'hydroxyparomomycin were obtained and their structures established by mass and 13C-NMR spectroscopy and by the study of hydrolytic fragments. These new compounds, which are both present as two epimers at C-5"', are suggested as intermediates in the biosynthesis of the parent antibiotics. The place and the mechanism of the 5"'-epimerisation and of the 6"'-amination are discussed.

Increased production of aminoglycosides associated with amplified antibiotic resistance genes.

The 6'-N-acetyltransferase derived from Streptomyces kanamyceticus strain M1164 was cloned on to the high copy plasmid vector pIJ702 and introduced into S. kanamyceticus (ATCC 12853, a kanamycin producer) and S. fradiae (ATCC 10745, a neomycin producer). In both cases transformants containing the recombinant plasmid showed increased resistance to a number of aminoglycoside antibiotics and substantially increased production of kanamycin and neomycin. This demonstrates that specific amplification of gene products associated with antibiotic biosynthesis provides a means for improving antibiotic production.

Ribostamycin, as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of neomycin.

A mutant of a neomycin-producting Streptomyces fradiae was found which synthesizes ribostamycin instead of neomycin. After a reverse mutation new colonies were obtained producting neomycin again. Ribostamycin might thus be considered as an intermediate in the biosynthesis of neomycin.

Interspecific recombination among aminoglycoside producing streptomycetes.

From auxotrophic double mutants of Streptomyces rimosus forma paromomycinus and Streptomyces kanamycerticus producing little or no antibiotic, stable prototrophic recombinants were obtained with low frequencies. Most of the recombinants differed from the parents in morphology and antibiotic production. The most frequent classes of recombinants behaved as streptomycetes of the "red" series and produced a wide range of neomycin yields, in contrast to the parents which produced paromomycin and a small proportion of neomycin, or kanamycin, respectively. Hypotheses on the nature of the genetic material exchanged are discussed.

Resistance mechanisms of kanamycin-, neomycin-, and streptomycin-producing streptomycetes to aminoglycoside antibiotics.

Streptomyces kanamyceticus ISP5500, S. fradiae ISP5063 and S. griseus ISP5236, which produce kanamycin, neomycin or streptomycin respectively, were highly resistant to the antibiotics they produced. Polyphenylalanine synthesis in cell free systems was also resistant to the action of the antibiotics. Reciprocal exchange between ribosomes and S150 fractions from the three strains revealed that the S150 fraction of each strain had an enzyme activity that inactivated the appropriate antibiotic whereas the ribosomes were susceptible to the antibiotics. It was concluded that the resistance of the in vitro polyphenylalanine synthesizing systems of these antibiotics was due to the presence of inactivating enzymes. Furthermore, S. fradiae and S. kanamyceticus were highly resistant to aminocyclitol-containing aminoglycoside antibiotics other than those produced by the two strains. In these cases, the inactivating enzymes were found to have a major role in the resistance mechanism. However, the resistance of S. kanamyceticus ISP5500 to streptomycin seems to be due to resistance at the ribosomal level.

Isolation and characterisation of an aminoglycoside phosphotransferase from neomycin-producing Micromonospora chalcea; comparison with that of Streptomyces fradiae and other producers of 4,6-disubstituted 2-deoxystreptamine antibiotics.

The gene (aphA-5c) encoding for aminoglycoside-O-phosphoryl-transferase (APH(3')-Vc) from Micromonospora chalcea 69-683 was cloned by expression in Streptomyces lividans; it showed strong nucleic and amino acid similarities with previously described streptomycetes aph genes. S1 mapping of the 5' region indicated that, as with several streptomycete genes, transcription apparently initiates at the translation start codon, with no extragenic ribosome binding site. Comparison of the flanking sequences of the actinomycete aph genes indicates considerable divergence, which is not consistent with the notion that clustered biosynthetic genes for structurally related (or identical) antibiotics are disseminated in their entirety between microbial species.