title: Gene cluster analysis for the biosynthesis of elgicins, novel lantibiotics produced by Paenibacillus elgii B69.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recent increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics has promoted the exploration of novel antibacterial materials. As a result, many researchers are undertaking work to identify new lantibiotics because of their potent antimicrobial activities. The objective of this study was to provide details of a lantibiotic-like gene cluster in Paenibacillus elgii B69 and to produce the antibacterial substances coded by this gene cluster based on culture screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of the P. elgii B69 genome sequence revealed the presence of a lantibiotic-like gene cluster composed of five open reading frames (elgT1, elgC, elgT2, elgB, and elgA). Screening of culture extracts for active substances possessing the predicted properties of the encoded product led to the isolation of four novel peptides (elgicins AI, AII, B, and C) with a broad inhibitory spectrum. The molecular weights of these peptides were 4536, 4593, 4706, and 4820 Da, respectively. The N-terminal sequence of elgicin B was Leu-Gly-Asn-Tyr, [corrected] which corresponded to the partial sequence of the peptide ElgA encoded by elgA. Edman degradation suggested that the product elgicin B is derived from ElgA. By correlating the results of electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analyses of elgicins AI, AII, and C, these peptides are deduced to have originated from the same precursor, ElgA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel lantibiotic-like gene cluster was shown to be present in P. elgii B69. Four new lantibiotics with a broad inhibitory spectrum were isolated, and these appear to be promising antibacterial agents.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Wenpeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Chaodong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ou
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xuechang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D056507:Paenibacillus / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001430:Bacteriocins