Work

A guide to genome mining and genetic manipulation of biosynthetic gene clusters in Streptomyces

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Streptomyces are a crucial source of bioactive secondary metabolites with significant clinical applications. Recent studies of bacterial and metagenome-assembled genomes have revealed that Streptomyces harbors a substantial number of uncharacterized silent secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). These BGCs represent a vast diversity of biosynthetic pathways for natural product synthesis, indicating significant untapped potential for discovering new metabolites. To exploit this potential, genome mining using comprehensive strategies that leverage extensive genomic databases can be conducted. By linking BGCs to their encoded products and integrating genetic manipulation techniques, researchers can greatly enhance the identification of new secondary metabolites with therapeutic relevance. In this context, we present a step-by-step guide for using the antiSMASH pipeline to identify secondary metabolite-coding BGCs within the complete genome of a novel Streptomyces strain. This protocol also outlines gene manipulation methods that can be applied to Streptomyces to activate cryptic clusters of interest and validate the functions of biosynthetic genes. By following these guidelines, researchers can pave the way for discovering and characterizing valuable natural products.

Source: The Journal of Microbiology

DOI: 10.71150/jm.2409026

Authors: Heonjun Jeong, YeonU Choe, Jiyoon Nam, Yeon Hee Ban

Institution: Kangwon National University

Language: English

Topic: Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis

Subfield: Pharmacology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,690