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The stringent response in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)
Author(s) -
Strauch E.,
Takano E.,
Baylts H. A.,
Bibb M. J.
Publication year - 1991
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb02109.x
Subject(s) - streptomyces coelicolor , actinorhodin , biology , stringent response , serine , secondary metabolism , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , exponential growth , antibiotics , threonine , gene , biosynthesis , phosphorylation , mutant , mathematical analysis , mathematics
Summary The stringent response was elicited in the antibiotic producer Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) either by amino acid depletion (nutritional shiftdown) or by the addition of serine hydroxamate; both led to increased levels of ppGpp and to a reduction in transcription from the four promoters of the rrnD rRNA gene set. Analysis of untreated batch cultures revealed elevated ppGpp levels at the end of exponential growth, preceding the onset of antibiotic production. The effect of provoking the stringent response on antibiotic production in exponentially growing cultures was assessed by S1 nuclease mapping of act III, an early gene of the actinorhodin biosynthetic cluster. Expression of act III occurred after nutritional shiftdown, but not after treatment with serine hydroxamate. Although the need for ppGpp in triggering antibiotic production remains equivocal, ppGpp synthesis atone does not appear to be sufficient to initiate secondary metabolism in S. coelicolor A3(2).