Premium
The ramC gene is required for morphogenesis in Streptomyces coelicolor and expressed in a cell type‐specific manner under the direct control of RamR
Author(s) -
O'Connor Tamara J.,
Kanellis Pamela,
Nodwell Justin R.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2002.03004.x
Subject(s) - hypha , streptomyces coelicolor , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , morphogenesis , gene , bacteria , streptomyces , genetics
Summary The bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor produces two cell types during the course of its life cycle: the aerial hyphae, which metamorphose into spores, and the substrate hyphae, which synthesize antibiotics. We show that the genes ramC and ramR are required for the production of the aerial hyphae but are dispensable for vegetative growth and antibiotic synthesis. We find that ramC is expressed in the substrate hyphae and shut off in the aerial hyphae by the time visible signs of sporulation‐associated septation are evident. Production of RamC requires the developmental regulators bldD, cprA and ramR , but not bldM or bldN , and we show that the RamR protein interacts directly with DNA in the ramC promoter region sug‐gesting that it is, at least in part, responsible for regulating ramC expression.