title: Beta-lactam antibiotic biosynthetic genes have been conserved in clusters in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
abstract: A cosmid clone containing closely linked beta-lactam antibiotic biosynthetic genes was isolated from a gene library of Flavobacterium sp. SC 12,154. The location within the cluster of the DNA thought to contain the gene for delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine synthetase (ACVS), the first step in the beta-lactam antibiotic biosynthetic pathway, was identified by a novel method. This DNA facilitated the isolation, by cross-hybridization, of the corresponding DNA from Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064, Penicillium chrysogenum Oli13 and Aspergillus nidulans R153. Evidence was obtained which confirmed that the cross-hybridizing sequences contained the ACVS gene. In each case the ACVS gene was found to be closely linked to other beta-lactam biosynthetic genes and constituted part of a gene cluster.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Burnham
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hodgson
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Earl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003360:Cosmids; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005417:Flavobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D015723:Gene Library; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005810:Multigene Family; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010407:Penicillium / Q000235:genetics*; D010408:Penicillium chrysogenum / Q000235:genetics*; D010453:Peptide Synthases / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000235:genetics*; D047090:beta-Lactams
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D047090:beta-Lactams; D010453:Peptide Synthases; C095368:alpha-aminoadipyl-cysteinyl-valine synthetase