Self-cloning in Streptomyces griseus of an str gene cluster for streptomycin biosynthesis and streptomycin resistance

Abstract

An str gene cluster containing at least four genes (strR, strA, strB, and strC) involved in streptomycin biosynthesis or streptomycin resistance or both was self-cloned in Streptomyces griseus by using plasmid pOA154. The strA gene was verified to encode streptomycin 6-phosphotransferase, a streptomycin resistance factor in S. griseus, by examining the gene product expressed in Escherichia coli. The other three genes were determined by complementation tests with streptomycin-nonproducing mutants whose biochemical lesions were clearly identified. strR complemented streptomycin-sensitive mutant SM196 which exhibited impaired activity of both streptomycin 6-phosphotransferase and amidinotransferase (one of the streptomycin biosynthetic enzymes) due to a regulatory mutation; strB complemented strain SD141, which was specifically deficient in amidinotransferase; and strC complemented strain SD245, which was deficient in linkage between streptidine 6-phosphate and dihydrostreptose. By deletion analysis of plasmids with appropriate restriction endonucleases, the order of the four genes was determined to be strR-strA-strB-strC. Transformation of S. griseus with plasmids carrying both strR and strB genes enhanced amidinotransferase activity in the transformed cells. Based on the gene dosage effect and the biological characteristics of the mutants complemented by strR and strB, it was concluded that strB encodes amidinotransferase and strR encodes a positive effector required for the full expression of strA and strB genes. Furthermore, it was found that amplification of a specific 0.7-kilobase region of the cloned DNA on a plasmid inhibited streptomycin biosynthesis of the transformants. This DNA region might contain a regulatory apparatus that participates in the control of streptomycin biosynthesis.