Unlocking Streptomyces spp. for use as sustainable industrial production platforms by morphological engineering.
Filamentous actinomycetes are commercially widely used as producers of natural products (in particular antibiotics) and of industrial enzymes. However, the mycelial lifestyle of actinomycetes, resulting in highly viscous broths and unfavorable pellet formation, has been a major bottleneck in their commercialization. Here we describe the successful morphological engineering of industrially important streptomycetes through controlled expression of the morphogene ssgA. This led to improved growth of many industrial and reference streptomycetes, with fragmentation of the mycelial clumps resulting in significantly enhanced growth rates in batch fermentations of Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces lividans. Product formation was also stimulated, with a twofold increase in yield of enzyme production by S. lividans. We anticipate that the use of the presented methodology will make actinomycetes significantly more attractive as industrial and sustainable production hosts.
van Wezel
Gilles P
GP
Microbial Development, LIC, Leiden University, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands. g.wezel@chem.leidenuniv.nl
Krabben
Preben
P
Traag
Bjørn A
BA
Keijser
Bart J F
BJ
Kerste
Rob
R
Vijgenboom
Erik
E
Heijnen
Josef J
JJ
Kraal
Barend
B
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003470:Culture Media; D005285:Fermentation; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; C414488:ssgA protein, bacterial