The transport and degradation mechanism of small signalling molecules in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Eriko Takano
• Subject Area: Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: from 2004 to 2011
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5468788

Streptomyces produce small signalling molecules (g-butyrolactones) which are active at nanomolar concentrations and play an important role in the regulation of antibiotic production. They are found exclusively in over 60% of Streptomyces species, and consequently are likely to have a fundamental role as "pheromones" in the biology of streptomycetes. The transport of these molecules through the cell membrane has been presumed to be by diffusion, but recent reports studying chemically related signalling molecules suggest an active transport system. g-butyrolactone transport has not yet been studied in streptomycetes and the mechanism involved in their degradation is similarly unknown. In this project, we will determine the genes involved in the transport and degradation of g-butyrolactones and assess their role in each mechanism. My group has focussed on the identification and structural determination of g-butyrolactones in the model streptomycete Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), and has successfully isolated the genes involved in the biosynthesis and receptor-binding of the signalling molecules to determine the regulatory network in this organism. We would now like to use our extensive knowledge of g-butyrolactone regulation in S. coelicolor to answer the important questions of how these signalling molecules are transported through the cell envelope and how they are degraded.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 449: Bacterial Cell Envelope: Synthesis, Function and Target
• International Connection: Netherlands