The Serratia gene cluster encoding biosynthesis of the red antibiotic, prodigiosin, shows species- and strain-dependent genome context variation.
The prodigiosin biosynthesis gene cluster (pig cluster) from two strains of Serratia (S. marcescens ATCC 274 and Serratia sp. ATCC 39006) has been cloned, sequenced and expressed in heterologous hosts. Sequence analysis of the respective pig clusters revealed 14 ORFs in S. marcescens ATCC 274 and 15 ORFs in Serratia sp. ATCC 39006. In each Serratia species, predicted gene products showed similarity to polyketide synthases (PKSs), non-ribosomal peptide synthases (NRPSs) and the Red proteins of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Comparisons between the two Serratia pig clusters and the red cluster from Str. coelicolor A3(2) revealed some important differences. A modified scheme for the biosynthesis of prodigiosin, based on the pathway recently suggested for the synthesis of undecylprodigiosin, is proposed. The distribution of the pig cluster within several Serratia sp. isolates is demonstrated and the presence of cryptic clusters in some strains shown. The pig cluster of Serratia marcescens ATCC 274 is flanked by cueR and copA homologues and this configuration is demonstrated in several S. marcescens strains, whilst these genes are contiguous in strains lacking the pig cluster.
Harris
Abigail K P
AKP
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Williamson
Neil R
NR
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Slater
Holly
H
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Cox
Anthony
A
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Abbasi
Sophia
S
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Foulds
Ian
I
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Simonsen
Henrik T
HT
Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
Leeper
Finian J
FJ
Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
Salmond
George P C
GPC
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D023061:Gene Order; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010453:Peptide Synthases / Q000235:genetics; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics; D011353:Prodigiosin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012705:Serratia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D048372:Streptomyces coelicolor / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C071263:CopA protein, Bacteria; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C051124:MerR protein, Bacteria; D048630:Polyketide Synthases; D010453:Peptide Synthases; C104385:non-ribosomal peptide synthase; D011353:Prodigiosin