Rare earth elements activate the secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2).
Genome sequencing projects have revealed many biosynthesis gene clusters for the production of as-yet unknown secondary metabolites, especially in actinomycetes. Here, we report that the rare earth elements, scandium and/or lanthanum, markedly activate, ranging from 2.5- to 12-fold, the expression of nine genes belonging to nine secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) when added to the medium at low concentrations. HPLC analysis of ethyl acetate-extractable metabolites indicated the detectability of several compounds only in the rare earth-treated cultures. This approach should facilitate discovery of new biologically active compounds and the study of secondary metabolite production.
Tanaka
Yukinori
Y
National Food Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Hosaka
Takeshi
T
Ochi
Kozo
K
D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007811:Lanthanum / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005810:Multigene Family; D012538:Scandium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048372:Streptomyces coelicolor / Q000187:drug effects*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D003470:Culture Media; D007811:Lanthanum; D012538:Scandium