title: Curing baldness activates antibiotic production.
abstract: Kalan and colleagues describe an unusual way of activating a "silent" gene cluster for the biosynthesis of a new antibiotic by analyzing and curing the aerial growth defect of an old Streptomyces isolate, Streptomyces calvus. This commentary addresses the broad scientific and historical context and practical and biological significance of this finding.
authors.affiliation: John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK. Electronic address: keith.chater@jic.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Keith F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chater
mesh_terms: D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D005810:Multigene Family; D011090:Polyenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011090:Polyenes