Sequencing and analysis of genes involved in the biosynthesis of a vancomycin group antibiotic.
BACKGROUND
The emergence of resistance to vancomycin, the drug of choice against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, in enterococci has increased the need for new antibiotics. As chemical modification of the antibiotic structure is not trivial, we have initiated studies towards enzymatic modification by sequencing the DNA coding for the biosynthesis of chloroeremomycin (also known as A82846B and LY264826).


RESULTS
Analysis of 72 kilobases of genomic DNA from Amycolatopsis orientalis, the organism that produces chloroeremomycin, revealed the presence of 39 putative genes, including those coding for the biosynthesis of the antibiotic. Translation and subsequent comparison with known proteins in public databases identified enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of the heptapeptide backbone and 4-epi-vancosamine, as well as those for chlorination and oxidation reactions involved in the biosynthesis of chloroeremomycin.


CONCLUSIONS
The genes responsible for the biosynthesis of chloroeremomycin have been identified, and selective expression of these genes could lead to the synthesis of new potent glycopeptide antibiotics.
van Wageningen
A M
AM
Cambridge Centre for Molecular Recognition, Department of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK.
Kirkpatrick
P N
PN
Williams
D H
DH
Harris
B R
BR
Kershaw
J K
JK
Lennard
N J
NJ
Jones
M
M
Jones
S J
SJ
Solenberg
P J
PJ
D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000235:genetics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D002713:Chlorine / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011487:Protein Conformation; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C112142:chloroeremomycin; D002713:Chlorine; D014640:Vancomycin; D016695:Glycosyltransferases