Project description:A DNA microarray was designed and constructed using the genome sequence of Saccharopolyspora erythraea strain NRRL 2338. Following growth in liquid medium, we analysed the expression of 6494 ORFs along the time course. The results indicated that the 404 genes, whose expression significatively correlated with the time course, identify three distinct growth phases: a rapid growth until 32 h (phase A); a growth slowdown until 52 h (phase B); another rapid growth phase from 56 h to 72 h (phase C) before entering the stationary phase. We experimentally determined regional organization of transcription along the chromosome, highlighting differences between core and non-core regions, but also strand specific patterns of expression, and the behavior of major functional classes. Temporal expression of all the gene clusters for secondary metabolism was analyzed, confirming ery cluster up-regulation during the first growth phase, and finding out six secondary metabolism clusters that are clearly regulated during growth. The use of a DNA microarray, specifically designed on the Sac. erythraea genome sequence, improved specificity and sensitivity of gene expression analysis, giving a global and at the same time detailed picture of how Sac. erythraea genes are modulated. Keywords: time course
Project description:BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms altered by the traditional mutation and screening approach during the improvement of antibiotic-producing microorganisms are still poorly understood although this information is essential to design rational strategies for industrial strain improvement. In this study, we applied comparative genomics to identify all genetic changes occurring during the development of an erythromycin overproducer obtained using the traditional mutate-and- screen method. RESULTS: Compared with the parental Saccharopolyspora erythraea NRRL 2338, the genome of the overproducing strain presents 117 deletion, 78 insertion and 12 transposition sites, with 71 insertion/deletion sites mapping within coding sequences (CDSs) and generating frame-shift mutations. Single nucleotide variations are present in 144 CDSs. Overall, the genomic variations affect 227 proteins of the overproducing strain and a considerable number of mutations alter genes of key enzymes in the central carbon and nitrogen metabolism and in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, resulting in the redirection of common precursors toward erythromycin biosynthesis. Interestingly, several mutations inactivate genes coding for proteins that play fundamental roles in basic transcription and translation machineries including the transcription anti-termination factor NusB and the transcription elongation factor Efp. These mutations, along with those affecting genes coding for pleiotropic or pathway-specific regulators, affect global expression profile as demonstrated by a comparative analysis of the parental and overproducer expression profiles. Genomic data, finally, suggest that the mutate-and-screen process might have been accelerated by mutations in DNA repair genes. CONCLUSIONS: This study helps to clarify the mechanisms underlying antibiotic overproduction providing valuable information about new possible molecular targets for rationale strain improvement.
Project description:Saccharopolyspora erythraea is used for industrial-scale production of erythromycin. To explore the physiological role of co-factors in regulation of primary and secondary metabolism of S. erythraea, we initially overexpressed the endogenous F1-ATPase in an erythromycin high-producing strain, E3. The engineered strain is named EA. The F1-ATPase expression resulted in a lower [ATP]/[ADP] ratio, which was accompanied by a dramatic increased production of a reddish pigment and a decreased erythromycin production. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the intracellular [ATP]/[ADP] ratio appeared to exert a global regulation on the metabolism of S.erythraea, and the lower [ATP]/[ADP] ratio induced physiological changes to restore the energy balance, mainly via pathways that tend to produce ATP or NADH. The results also indicated a state of redox stress in the engineered strain, which was correlated to the alteration of electron transport at the branch of the terminal oxidases.
Project description:Knowledge about effects of cofactor perturbation on cellular metabolism is scarce with respect to Saccharopolyspora erythraea. The water-forming NADH oxidase (NOX) from Streptococcus pneumonia was expressed in S.erythraea E3, an important industrial strain for erythromycin production, at three different levels to investigate effects of intracellular redox status on secondary metabolism. NOX expression reduced the intracellular [NADH]/[NAD+] ratios significantly, although with a strong constitutive promoter NOX function was limited due to the shortage of oxygen. We demonstrated the negative correlation between [NADH]/[NAD+] ratios and biosynthesis of erythromycin in S.erythraea, but a positive correlation between the redox ratios and pigment production as well. We furthermore completed next-generation RNA sequencing of E3 and two NOX-expression strains. The transcription results showed that transfer processes of carbohydrates, DNA and chemical groups were altered resulting in metabolic shifts to supply more NADH for NOX fully functioning. Additionally, redox status affected transcription of several genes by allosteric effects on their transcription initiation. Specifically, transcriptional analysis along with enzymatic assay suggested that redox status influenced biosynthesis of erythromycin indirectly by allosteric effects on biosynthesis of the secondary messenger, c-di-GMP. The present work provides a basis for future cofactor manipulation in S.erythraea for further improvement of erythromycin production.
Project description:Erythromycin is a medically important antibiotic, biosynthesized by the actinomycete Saccharopolyspora erythraea. We used transcriptomic approach to compare whole genome expression in erythromycin high-producing strain, compared to the wild type S. erythraea strain in four stages of fermentation.