title: The leptomycin gene cluster and its heterologous expression in Streptomyces lividans.
abstract: Leptomycin exerts its antifungal and anti-tumoral activity via inhibiting nucleo-cytoplasmic translocations in eukaryotic cells. To learn more about the biosynthesis of leptomycin and in an effort to generate leptomycin analogues through genetic engineering, 90 kb segment of DNA containing the putative leptomycin (lep) biosynthesis cluster from Streptomyces sp. ATCC 39366 was cloned and sequenced. The lep cluster consist of 12 polyketide synthase (PKS) modules distributed in four genes (lepA, B, C and D) and a P450 encoding gene. The lep gene cluster was confirmed by its successful expression in Streptomyces lividans, where it directed the production of the two natural congeners-leptomycins A and B. The production of leptomycin B showed that the host has the capability to synthesize ethylmalonyl-CoA.
authors.affiliation: Kosan Biosciences Inc, Hayward, CA 94545, USA. hu@kosan.com
authors.forename: Zhihao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gramajo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D048170:Streptomyces lividans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; C038752:leptomycin A; C038753:leptomycin B