title: Identification of the bkdAB gene cluster, a plausible source of the starter-unit for virginiamycin M production in Streptomyces virginiae.
abstract: The bkdAB gene cluster, which encodes plausible E1 and E2 components of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCDH) complex, was isolated from Streptomyces virginiae in the vicinity of a regulatory island for virginiamycin production. Gene disruption of bkdA completely abolished the production of virginiamycin M (a polyketide-peptide antibiotic), while the production of virginiamycin S (a cyclodepsipeptide antibiotic) was unaffected. Complementation of the bkdA disruptant by genome-integration of intact bkdA completely restored the virginiamycin M production, indicating that the bkdAB cluster is essential for virginiamycin M biosynthesis, plausibly via the provision of isobutyryl-CoA as a primer unit. In contrast to a feature usually seen in the Streptomyces E1 component, namely, the separate encoding of the alpha and beta subunits, S. virginiae bkdA seemed to encode the fused form of the alpha and beta subunits, which was verified by the actual catalytic activity of the fused protein in vitro using recombinant BkdA overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Supply of an additional bkdA gene under the strong and constitutive promoter ermE* in the wild-type strain of S. virginiae resulted in enhanced production of virginiamycin M, suggesting that the supply of isobutyryl-CoA is one of the rate-limiting factors in the biosynthesis of virginiamycin M.
authors: International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors: Nattika
authors: N
authors: Pulsawat
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Kitani
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kinoshita
authors: Chang Kwon
authors: CK
authors: Lee
authors: Takuya
authors: T
authors: Nihira
mesh_terms: D042942:3-Methyl-2-Oxobutanoate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide) / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014769:Virginiamycin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014769:Virginiamycin; D042942:3-Methyl-2-Oxobutanoate Dehydrogenase (Lipoamide)