Widespread occurrence and genomic context of unusually small polyketide synthase genes in microbial consortia associated with marine sponges.

ABSTRACT: Numerous marine sponges harbor enormous amounts of as-yet-uncultivated bacteria in their tissues. There is increasing evidence that these symbionts play an important role in the synthesis of protective metabolites, many of which are of great pharmacological interest. In this study, genes for the biosynthesis of polyketides, one of the most important classes of bioactive natural products, were systematically investigated in 20 demosponge species from different oceans. Unexpectedly, the sponge metagenomes were dominated by a ubiquitously present, evolutionarily distinct, and highly sponge-specific group of polyketide synthases (PKSs). Open reading frames resembling animal fatty acid genes were found on three corresponding DNA regions isolated from the metagenomes of Theonella swinhoei and Ap

SUBMITTER: Fieseler L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1855645 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature