一个巨大的抗真菌抗生素基因簇及其与植物生物技术的潜在关系

A Glant Gene Cluster for an Antifungal Antibiotic and Its Potential Relevance to Plant Biotechnology

从链霉菌ＦＲ－００８中克隆出一个七烯大环内酯抗生素的生物合成基因簇，基因置换试验证实克隆的基因片段与抗生素生物合成直接相关。ＦＲ－００８抗生素含有一个３８员由聚酮所衍生的内酯大环，由编码红霉素聚酮合酶的活性域基因片段为探针所进行的Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交试验证明，链霉菌ＦＲ－００８的聚酮合酶（ＰＫＳ）的基因簇占据１０５ｋｂ连续和具有重复功能单元（模块）的序列；假设每个ＰＫＳ模块为５ｋｂ，这与ＦＲ－００８碳链形成需要２１个缩合过程的预期数值极其吻合。链霉菌ＦＲ－００８的基因克隆系统（包括转化、转座、从大肠杆菌向链霉菌的属间接合转移、基因置换和基因中断体系和限制性缺陷菌株）均已得到发展，使我们能够充分利用基因工程技术来操纵七烯大环内酯的生物合成并产生新的抗生素衍生物。同时利用该基因簇中的部分ＰＫＳ基因序列构建了一个可用于转化植物的质粒ｐＨＺ３２１，为尝试在水稻等植物中表达链霉菌Ⅰ型ＰＫＳ基因以探索高Ｇ十Ｃ（７６％）含量的链霉菌ＰＫＳ基因能否在植物中表达提供了材料和工具。用此质粒来转化植物的研究，将为进一步利用这个巨大的抗真菌抗生素基因簇进行植物抗真菌的基因工程育种提供理论依据。

Genes for biosynthesis of a Streptomyces sp. FR-008 heptaene macrolide antibiotic faith antifungal and mosquito larvacidal activity were cloned in E.colt using heterologous DNA probes. The cloned genes were implicated in heptuene biosythesis by gene replacement. The FR-008 antibiotic contains a 38membered, polyketide-derived macrolide ring. Southern hybridization using probes encoding domains of the Type 1 modular erythromycin polyketide synthase(PKS)showed that the Streptomyces sp. FR-008 PKS genes cluster contain repeated sequences spanning ca. 105kb of contiguous DNA; assuming ca. 5kb for each PKS module, this is in striking agreement with the expectation for the 21-step condensation process required for synthesis of the FR-008 carbon chain. The methods developed for transformation and gene replacement in Streptomyas sa. FR-008 make it POssible to genetically manipulate polyene macrolide production, and may later lead to the biosynthesis of novel polyene macrolides. A sequenced portion of the pathway is being tested for its potential expression in plant.