A natural plasmid uniquely encodes two biosynthetic pathways creating a potent anti-MRSA antibiotic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding how complex antibiotics are synthesised by their producer bacteria is essential for creation of new families of bioactive compounds. Thiomarinols, produced by marine bacteria belonging to the genus Pseudoalteromonas, are hybrids of two independently active species: the pseudomonic acid mixture, mupirocin, which is used clinically against MRSA, and the pyrrothine core of holomycin.

Methodology/principal findings

High throughput DNA sequencing of the complete genome of the producer bacterium revealed a novel 97 kb plasmid, pTML1, consisting almost entirely of two distinct gene clusters. Targeted gene knockouts confirmed the role of these clusters in biosynthesis of the two separate components, pseudomonic acid and the pyrrothine, and identified a putat

SUBMITTER: Fukuda D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3069032 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature