Characterization and optimization of proprietary heterologous Streptomyces chassis

Abstract

Microbial natural products are secondary metabolites synthesized by enzymes encoded by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). A large portion of these BGCs remains dormant or silent, concealing the enigmatic products that are yet to be identified. An approach that is being exploited to activate silent cryptic BGCs involves the expression of cryptic BGCs in a genetically manipulable, fast-growing heterologous chassis. Identifying and developing a panel of actinomycete hosts spanning the phylogenetic spectrum is imperative for increasing the success rate of heterologous expression of BGCs. In this project I characterise and evaluate recently isolated Streptomyces strains, and my findings indicate that S. sungeiensis SD3 possesses significant potential as a microbial chassis for heterologous expression applications. This proprietary strain will contribute to the progress of synthetic biology and the implementation of microbial fermentation in industrial applications.