• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.793-799
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• 2012

A gene related to high pristinamycin yield in Streptomyces pristinaespiralis was selected by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and its functions were investigated by gene disruption. First, a 561 bp polymorphic sequence was acquired by AFLP from high-yield recombinants compared with the S. pristinaespiralis ancestor ATCC25486, indicating that this approach is an effective means of screening for valuable genes responsible for antibiotic yield. Then, a 2,127 bp open reading frame of a gene designated spy1 that overlaps with the above fragment was identified and its structure and biological functions were investigated. In silico analysis of spy1 encoding a deduced 708-amino-acid-long serine/threonine protein kinase showed that it only contains a catalytic domain in the N-terminal region, which is different from some known homologs. Gene inactivation of chromosomal spy1 indicated that it plays a pleiotropic regulatory function in pristinamycin production, with a positive correlation to pristinamycin I biosynthesis and a negative correlation to pristinamycin II biosynthesis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.331-341
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• 2018

L-pipecolic acid is a non-protein amino acid commonly found in plants, animals, and microorganisms. It is a well-known precursor to numerous microbial secondary metabolites and pharmaceuticals, including anticancer agents, immunosuppressants, and several antibiotics. Lysine cyclodeaminase (LCD) catalyzes ${\beta}$-deamination of L-lysine into L-pipecolic acid using ${\beta}$-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor. Expression of a human homolog of LCD, ${\mu}$-crystallin, is elevated in prostate cancer patients. To understand the structural features and catalytic mechanisms of LCD, we determined the crystal structures of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis LCD (SpLCD) in (i) a binary complex with $NAD^+$, (ii) a ternary complex with $NAD^+$ and L-pipecolic acid, (iii) a ternary complex with $NAD^+$ and L-proline, and (iv) a ternary complex with $NAD^+$ and L-2,4-diamino butyric acid. The overall structure of SpLCD was similar to that of ornithine cyclodeaminase from Pseudomonas putida. In addition, SpLCD recognized L-lysine, L-ornithine, and L-2,4-diamino butyric acid despite differences in the active site, including differences in hydrogen bonding by Asp236, which corresponds with Asp228 from Pseudomonas putida ornithine cyclodeaminase. The substrate binding pocket of SpLCD allowed substrates smaller than lysine to bind, thus enabling binding to ornithine and L-2,4-diamino butyric acid. Our structural and biochemical data facilitate a detailed understanding of substrate and product recognition, thus providing evidence for a reaction mechanism for SpLCD. The proposed mechanism is unusual in that $NAD^+$ is initially converted into NADH and then reverted back into $NAD^+$ at a late stage of the reaction.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.96-101
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• 2011

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine synthtase (SAM-s) catalyzes the biosynthesis of SAM from ATP and L-methionine. SAM plays important roles in the primary and secondary metabolism of cells. A metK encoding a SAM-s was searched from Streptomyces natalensis producing natamycin, a predominantly a strong antifungal agent, inhibiting the growth of both yeasts and molds and preventing the formation of aflatoxin in filamentous fungi. To obtain the metK of S. natalensis, PCR using primers designed from the two highly conserved regions for metK genes of Streptomyces strains was carried out, and an intact 1.2-kb metK gene of S. natalensis was cloned by genomic Southern hybridization with PCR product as a probe. To identify the function of the cloned metK gene, it was inserted into pSET152ET for its high expression in the Streptomyces strain, and then introduced into S. lividans TK24 as a host by transconjugation using E. coli ET12567(pUZ8002). The high expression of metK in S. lividans TK24 induced actinorhodin production on R5 solid medium, and its amount in R4 liquid medium was 10-fold higher than that by exconjugant including only pSET152ET.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.896-900
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• 2006

Cytokinin has been known to act as a plant hormone to promote cell division and function in diverse processes in plant growth and development. Besides being produced in plants, it is also produced by various bacteria and fungi; however, its ecological significance is still unclear. In this report, we present an interesting finding that transzeatin riboside (tZR), a naturally occurring cytokinin compound, increased antibiotic production in many different streptomycetes, including Streptomyces coelicolor Ml3O, S. pristinaespiralis ATCC 25486, S. violaceoruber Tu22, S. anfibioticus ATCC l1891, and S. griseus IFO 13350. In vitro plate assays showed that the addition of 100 $\mu$M tZR increased the growth inhibition of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, a plant pathogen, by S. griseus, a streptomycin producer. We suggest that cytokinin could act as a signaling molecule for antibiotic production in streptomycetes, a group of rhizosphere bacteria.