WhiA, a protein of unknown function conserved among gram-positive bacteria, is essential for sporulation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

Transcriptional regulators of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Streptomyces

In the post-genome era, great progress has been made in metabolic engineering using recombinant DNA technology to enhance the production of high-value products by Streptomyces. With the development of microbial genome sequencing techniques and bioinformatic tools, a growing number of secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthetic gene clusters in Streptomyces and their biosynthetic logics have been uncovered and elucidated. In order to increase our knowledge about transcriptional regulators in SM of Streptomyces, this review firstly makes a comprehensive summary of the characterized factors involved in enhancing SM production and awakening SM biosynthesis. Future perspectives on transcriptional regulator engineering for new SM biosynthesis by Streptomyces are also provided.

Metabolic and chromosomal changes in a Bacillus subtilis whiA mutant

IMPORTANCE

WhiA is a conserved DNA-binding protein that influences cell division in many Gram-positive bacteria and, in B. subtilis, also chromosome segregation. How WhiA works in Bacillus subtilis is unknown. Here, we tested three hypothetical mechanisms using metabolomics, fatty acid analysis, and chromosome confirmation capture experiments. This revealed that WhiA does not influence cell division and chromosome segregation by modulating either central carbon metabolism or fatty acid composition. However, the inactivation of WhiA reduces short-range chromosome interactions. These findings provide new avenues to study the molecular mechanism of WhiA in the future.

The evolution of morphological development is congruent with the species phylogeny in the genus Streptomyces

As the canonical model organism to dissect bacterial morphological development, Streptomyces species has attracted much attention from the microbiological society. However, the evolution of development-related genes in Streptomyces remains elusive. Here, we evaluated the distribution of development-related genes, thus indicating that the majority of these genes were ubiquitous in Streptomyces genomes. Furthermore, the phylogenetic topologies of related strict orthologous genes were compared to the species tree of Streptomyces from both concatenation and single-gene tree analyses. Meanwhile, the reconciled gene tree and normalization based on the number of parsimony-informative sites were also employed to reduce the impact of phylogenetic conflicts, which was induced by uncertainty in single-gene tree inference based merely on the sequence and the bias in the amount of phylogenetic information caused by variable numbers of parsimony-informative sites. We found that the development-related genes had higher congruence to the species tree than other strict orthologous genes. Considering that the development-related genes could also be tracked back to the common ancestor of Streptomyces, these results suggest that morphological development follows the same pattern as species divergence.

How Streptomyces thrive: Advancing our understanding of classical development and uncovering new behaviors

Streptomyces are soil- and marine-dwelling microbes that need to survive dramatic fluctuations in nutrient levels and environmental conditions. Here, we explore the advances made in understanding how Streptomyces bacteria can thrive in their natural environments. We examine their classical developmental cycle, and the intricate regulatory cascades that govern it. We discuss alternative growth strategies and behaviors, like the rapid expansion and colonization properties associated with exploratory growth, the release of membrane vesicles and S-cells from hyphal tips, and the acquisition of exogenous DNA along the lateral walls. We further investigate Streptomyces interactions with other organisms through the release of volatile compounds that impact nutrient levels, microbial growth, and insect behavior. Finally, we explore the increasingly diverse strategies employed by Streptomyces species in escaping and thwarting phage infections.

Interplay between non-coding RNA transcription, stringent phenotype and antibiotic production in Streptomyces

While in recent years the key role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulation of gene expression has become increasingly evident, their interaction with the global regulatory circuits is still obscure. Here we analyzed the structure and organization of the transcriptome of Streptomyces ambofaciens, the producer of spiramycin. We identified ncRNAs including 45 small-RNAs (sRNAs) and 119 antisense-RNAs (asRNAs I) that appear transcribed from dedicated promoters. Some sRNAs and asRNAs are unprecedented in Streptomyces, and were predicted to target mRNAs encoding proteins involved in transcription, translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, and regulation of morphological and biochemical differentiation. We then compared ncRNA expression in three strains: i.) the wild type strain; ii.) an isogenic pirA-defective mutant with central carbon metabolism imbalance, "relaxed" phenotype, and repression of antibiotic production; iii.) a pirA-derivative strain harboring a "stringent" RNA polymerase that suppresses pirA-associated phenotypes. Data indicated that expression of most ncRNAs was correlated to the stringent/relaxed phenotype suggesting novel effector mechanisms of the stringent response.

Mining for novel cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferases unravels the carbohydrate metabolism pathway via cyclodextrins in Thermoanaerobacterales

Carbohydrate metabolism via cyclodextrins (CM-CD) is an uncommon starch-converting pathway that thoroughly depends on extracellular cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferases (CGTases) to transform the surrounding starch substrate to α-(1,4)-linked oligosaccharides and cyclodextrins (CDs). The CM-CD pathway has emerged as a convenient microbial adaptation to thrive under extreme temperatures, as CDs are functional amphipathic toroids with higher heat-resistant values than linear dextrins. Nevertheless, although the CM-CD pathway has been described in a few mesophilic bacteria and archaea, it remains obscure in extremely thermophilic prokaryotes (Topt ≥ 70 °C). Here, a new monophyletic group of CGTases with an exceptional three-domain ABC architecture was detected by (meta)genome mining of extremely thermophilic Thermoanaerobacterales living in a wide variety of hot starch-poor environments on Earth. Functional studies of a representative member, CldA, showed a maximum activity in a thermoacidophilic range (pH 4.0 and 80 °C) with remarkable product diversification that yielded a mixture of α:β:γ-CDs (34:62:4) from soluble starch, as well as G3-G7 linear dextrins and fermentable sugars as the primary products. Together, comparative genomics and predictive functional analysis, combined with data of the functionally characterized key proteins of the gene clusters encoding CGTases, revealed the CM-CD pathway in Thermoanaerobacterales and showed that it is involved in the synthesis, transportation, degradation, and metabolic assimilation of CDs.

Interplay between Non-Coding RNA Transcription, Stringent/Relaxed Phenotype and Antibiotic Production in Streptomyces ambofaciens

While in recent years the key role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in the regulation of gene expression has become increasingly evident, their interaction with the global regulatory circuits is still obscure. Here we analyzed the structure and organization of the transcriptome of Streptomyces ambofaciens, the producer of spiramycin. We identified ncRNAs including 45 small-RNAs (sRNAs) and 119 antisense-RNAs (asRNAs I) that appear transcribed from dedicated promoters. Some sRNAs and asRNAs are unprecedented in Streptomyces and were predicted to target mRNAs encoding proteins involved in transcription, translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, and regulation of morphological and biochemical differentiation. We then compared ncRNA expression in three strains: (i) the wild-type strain; (ii) an isogenic pirA-defective mutant with central carbon metabolism imbalance, “relaxed” phenotype, and repression of antibiotic production; and (iii) a pirA-derivative strain harboring a “stringent” RNA polymerase that suppresses pirA-associated phenotypes. Data indicated that the expression of most ncRNAs was correlated to the stringent/relaxed phenotype suggesting novel effector mechanisms of the stringent response.

WblA, a global regulator of antibiotic biosynthesis in Streptomyces

Streptomyces species are soil-dwelling bacteria that produce vast numbers of pharmaceutically valuable secondary metabolites (SMs), such as antibiotics, immunosuppressants, antiviral, and anticancer drugs. On the other hand, the biosynthesis of most SMs remains very low due to tightly controlled regulatory networks. Both global and pathway-specific regulators are involved in the regulation of a specific SM biosynthesis in various Streptomyces species. Over the past few decades, many of these regulators have been identified and new ones are still being discovered. Among them, a global regulator of SM biosynthesis named WblA was identified in several Streptomyces species. The identification and understanding of the WblAs have greatly contributed to increasing the productivity of several Streptomyces SMs. This review summarizes the characteristics and applications on WblAs reported to date, which were found in various Streptomyces species and other actinobacteria.

Thiol-specific oxidant diamide downregulates whiA gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum, thereby suppressing cell division and metabolism

The whiA (NCgl1527) gene from Corynebacterium glutamicum plays a crucial role during cell growth, and WhiA is recognized as the transcription factor for genes involved in cell division. In this study, we assessed the regulatory role of the gene in cell physiology. Transcription of the gene was specifically downregulated by the thiol-specific oxidant, diamide, and by heat stress. Cells exposed to diamide showed decreased transcription of genes involved in cell division and these effects were more profound in ΔwhiA cells. In addition, the ΔwhiA cells showed sensitivity to thiol-specific oxidants, DNA-damaging agents, and high temperature. Further, downregulation of sigH (NCgl0733), the central regulator in stress responses, along with master regulatory genes in cell metabolism, was observed in the ΔwhiA strain. Moreover, the amount of cAMP in the ΔwhiA cells in the early stationary phase was only at 30% level of that for the wild-type strain. Collectively, our data indicate that the role of whiA is to downregulate genes associated with cell division in response to heat or thiol-specific oxidative stress, and may suggest a role for the gene in downshifting cell metabolism by downregulating global regulatory genes when growth condition is not optimal for cells.

The actinobacterial WhiB-like (Wbl) family of transcription factors

The WhiB‐like (Wbl) family of proteins are exclusively found in Actinobacteria. Wbls have been shown to play key roles in virulence and antibiotic resistance in Mycobacteria and Corynebacteria, reflecting their importance during infection by the human pathogens Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae and Corynebacterium diphtheriae. In the antibiotic‐producing Streptomyces, several Wbls have important roles in the regulation of morphological differentiation, including WhiB, a protein that controls the initiation of sporulation septation and the founding member of the Wbl family. In recent years, genome sequencing has revealed the prevalence of Wbl paralogues in species throughout the Actinobacteria. Wbl proteins are small (generally ~80–140 residues) and each contains four invariant cysteine residues that bind an O₂‐ and NO‐sensitive [4Fe–4S] cluster, raising the question as to how they can maintain distinct cellular functions within a given species. Despite their discovery over 25 years ago, the Wbl protein family has largely remained enigmatic. Here I summarise recent research in Mycobacteria, Corynebacteria and Streptomyces that sheds light on the biochemical function of Wbls as transcription factors and as potential sensors of O₂ and NO. I suggest that Wbl evolution has created diversity in protein–protein interactions, [4Fe–4S] cluster‐sensitivity and the ability to bind DNA.

The Conserved DNA Binding Protein WhiA Influences Chromosome Segregation in Bacillus subtilis

The DNA binding protein WhiA is conserved in Gram-positive bacteria and is present in the genetically simple cell wall-lacking mycoplasmas. The protein shows homology to eukaryotic homing endonucleases but lacks nuclease activity. WhiA was first characterized in streptomycetes, where it regulates the expression of key differentiation genes, including the cell division gene ftsZ, which is essential for sporulation. For Bacillus subtilis, it was shown that WhiA is essential when certain cell division genes are deleted. However, in B. subtilis, WhiA is not required for sporulation, and it does not seem to function as a transcription factor, despite its DNA binding activity. The exact function of B. subtilis WhiA remains elusive. We noticed that whiA mutants show an increased space between their nucleoids, and here, we describe the results of fluorescence microscopy, genetic, and transcriptional experiments to further investigate this phenomenon. It appeared that the deletion of whiA is synthetic lethal when either the DNA replication and segregation regulator ParB or the DNA replication inhibitor YabA is absent. However, WhiA does not seem to affect replication initiation. We found that a ΔwhiA mutant is highly sensitive for DNA-damaging agents. Further tests revealed that the deletion of parAB induces the SOS response, including the cell division inhibitor YneA. When yneA was inactivated, the viability of the synthetic lethal ΔwhiA ΔparAB mutant was restored. However, the nucleoid segregation phenotype remained. These findings underline the importance of WhiA for cell division and indicate that the protein also plays a role in DNA segregation.IMPORTANCE The conserved WhiA protein family can be found in most Gram-positive bacteria, including the genetically simple cell wall-lacking mycoplasmas, and these proteins play a role in cell division. WhiA has some homology with eukaryotic homing endonucleases but lacks nuclease activity. Because of its DNA binding activity, it is assumed that the protein functions as a transcription factor, but this is not the case in the model system B. subtilis The function of this protein in B. subtilis remains unclear. We noticed that a whiA mutant has a mild chromosome segregation defect. Further studies of this phenomenon provided new support for a functional role of WhiA in cell division and indicated that the protein is required for normal chromosome segregation.

Functional assignment for essential hypothetical proteins of Staphylococcus aureus N315

Staphylococcus aureus, the causative agent of nosocomial infections worldwide, has acquired resistance to almost all antibiotics stressing the need to develop novel drugs against this pathogen. In S. aureus N315, 302 genes have been identified as essential genes, indispensable for growth and survival of the pathogen. The functions of 40 proteins encoded by S. aureus essential genes were found to be hypothetical and thus referred as essential hypothetical proteins (EHPs). The present study aims to carry out functional characterization of EHPs using bioinformatics tools/databases, whose performance was assessed by Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Evaluation of physicochemical parameters, homology search against known proteins, domain analysis, subcellular localization analysis and virulence prediction assisted us to characterize EHPs. Functional assignment for 35 EHPs was made with high confidence. They belong to different functional classes like enzymes, binding proteins, miscellaneous proteins, helicases, transporters and virulence factors. Around 35% of EHPs were from hydrolases family. A group of EHPs (32.5%) were predicted as virulence factors. Of 35, 19 essential pathogen-specific proteins were considered as probable drug targets. Two targets were found to be druggable and others were novel targets. Outcome of the study could aid to identify novel drugs for better treatment of S. aureus infections.

Transcriptome responses of Lactobacillus acetotolerans F28 to a short and long term ethanol stress

Lactobacillus acetotolerans is a major microbe contributing to the Chinese liquor fermentation with unknown function. It can be grown well in a high concentration of ethanol. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on L. acetotolerans F28 growing in 12% ethanol to determine important genetic mechanisms for both a short and long term adaption to this environment. A genome-wide transcriptional analysis revealed that the most important genetic elements for L. acetotolerans F28 grown in ethanol are related to high levels of stress response and fatty acid biosynthesis, and a reduction of amino acid transport and metabolism after both a short and long time stress. The fatty acid methyl ester analyses showed that most fatty acids were increased in L. acetotolerans F28 after exposure to ethanol while the unsaturated fatty acid octadecenoic acid (C18:1) was significantly increased. The increasing unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis in L. acetotolerans F28 might enhance cell membrane fluidity and protect the cells against high concentration of ethanol. Overall, the transcriptome and functional analysis indicated that the elevated stress response and fatty acid biosynthesis, and the decrease of amino acid transport and metabolism might play important roles for L. acetotolerans F28 to adapt to environmental ethanol.

Multi-layered inhibition of Streptomyces development: BldO is a dedicated repressor of whiB

BldD‐(c‐di‐GMP) sits on top of the regulatory network that controls differentiation in Streptomyces, repressing a large regulon of developmental genes when the bacteria are growing vegetatively. In this way, BldD functions as an inhibitor that blocks the initiation of sporulation. Here, we report the identification and characterisation of BldO, an additional developmental repressor that acts to sustain vegetative growth and prevent entry into sporulation. However, unlike the pleiotropic regulator BldD, we show that BldO functions as the dedicated repressor of a single key target gene, whiB, and that deletion of bldO or constitutive expression of whiB is sufficient to induce precocious hypersporulation.

Building the bacterial cell wall at the pole

Polar growth is the predominant mode of cell wall extension in the Actinobacteria and the alphaproteobacterial clade Rhizobiales. The observation of polar elongation in taxonomically diverse bacteria suggests that polar growth may have evolved independently. Indeed, the regulatory mechanisms governing the assembly of cell wall biosynthesis machinery at the pole are distinct in the Actinobacteria and Rhizobiales. Here we highlight recent advances in our understanding of polar growth mechanisms in bacteria, with an emphasis on Streptomyces and Agrobacterium. This review illustrates that common themes are emerging in the regulation of polar growth in diverse bacteria. Emerging themes include the use of landmark proteins to direct growth to the pole and coordination of polar growth with cell-cycle progression.

Iron deficiency resistance mechanisms enlightened by gene expression analysis in Paenibacillus riograndensis SBR5

Despite its importance in growth and cell division, iron metabolism is still poorly understood in microorganisms, especially in Gram-positive bacteria. In this work, we used RNA sequencing technology to elucidate global mechanisms involved in iron starvation resistance in Paenibacillus riograndensis SBR5, a potential plant growth-promoting bacterium. Iron deficiency caused several changes in gene expression, and 150 differentially expressed genes were found: 71 genes were overexpressed and 79 genes were underexpressed. Eight genes for which expression was at least twice as high or twice as low in iron-limited condition compared with iron-sufficient condition were chosen for RT-qPCR analysis to validate the RNA seq data. In general, most genes exhibited the same pattern of expression after 24 h of P. riograndensis growth under iron-limiting condition. Our results suggest that, during iron deficiency, bacteria express several genes related to nutrient uptake when they start to grow to obtain all of the molecules necessary for maintaining major cellular processes. However, once iron becomes highly limiting and is no longer able to sustain exponential growth, bacteria begin to express genes related to several processes, like sporulation and DNA protection, as a way of resisting this stress.

Genome-Wide Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing Analysis Shows that WhiB Is a Transcription Factor That Cocontrols Its Regulon with WhiA To Initiate Developmental Cell Division in Streptomyces

WhiB is the founding member of a family of proteins (the WhiB-like [Wbl] family) that carry a [4Fe-4S] iron-sulfur cluster and play key roles in diverse aspects of the biology of actinomycetes, including pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and the control of development. In Streptomyces, WhiB is essential for the process of developmentally controlled cell division that leads to sporulation. The biochemical function of Wbl proteins has been controversial; here, we set out to determine unambiguously if WhiB functions as a transcription factor using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) in Streptomyces venezuelae. In the first demonstration of in vivo genome-wide Wbl binding, we showed that WhiB regulates the expression of key genes required for sporulation by binding upstream of ~240 transcription units. Strikingly, the WhiB regulon is identical to the previously characterized WhiA regulon, providing an explanation for the identical phenotypes of whiA and whiB mutants. Using ChIP-seq, we demonstrated that in vivo DNA binding by WhiA depends on WhiB and vice versa, showing that WhiA and WhiB function cooperatively to control expression of a common set of WhiAB target genes. Finally, we show that mutation of the cysteine residues that coordinate the [4Fe-4S] cluster in WhiB prevents DNA binding by both WhiB and WhiA in vivo.

Despite the central importance of WhiB-like (Wbl) proteins in actinomycete biology, a conclusive demonstration of their biochemical function has been elusive, and they have been difficult to study, particularly in vitro, largely because they carry an oxygen-sensitive [4Fe-4S] cluster. Here we used genome-wide ChIP-seq to investigate the function of Streptomyces WhiB, the founding member of the Wbl family. The advantage of this approach is that the oxygen sensitivity of the [4Fe-4S] cluster becomes irrelevant once the protein has been cross-linked to DNA in vivo. Our data provide the most compelling in vivo evidence to date that WhiB, and, by extension, probably all Wbl proteins, function as transcription factors. Further, we show that WhiB does not act independently but rather coregulates its regulon of sporulation genes with a partner transcription factor, WhiA.

c-di-GMP signalling and the regulation of developmental transitions in streptomycetes

The complex life cycle of streptomycetes involves two distinct filamentous cell forms: the growing (or vegetative) hyphae and the reproductive (or aerial) hyphae, which differentiate into long chains of spores. Until recently, little was known about the signalling pathways that regulate the developmental transitions leading to sporulation. In this Review, we discuss important new insights into these pathways that have led to the emergence of a coherent regulatory network, focusing on the erection of aerial hyphae and the synchronous cell division event that produces dozens of unigenomic spores. In particular, we highlight the role of cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) in controlling the initiation of development, and the role of the master regulator BldD in mediating c-di-GMP signalling.

Structure and regulatory targets of SCO3201, a highly promiscuous TetR-like regulator of Streptomyces coelicolor M145

SCO3201, a regulator of the TetR family, is a strong repressor of both morphological differentiation and antibiotic production when overexpressed in Streptomyces coelicolor. Here, we report the identification of 14 novel putative regulatory targets of this regulator using in vitro formaldehyde cross-linking. Direct binding of purified His6-SCO3201 was demonstrated for the promoter regions of 5 regulators (SCO1716, SCO1950, SCO3367, SCO4009 and SCO5046), a putative histidine phosphatase (SCO1809), an acetyltransferase (SCO0988) and the polyketide synthase RedX (SCO5878), using EMSA. Reverse transcriptional analysis demonstrated that the expression of the transcriptional regulators SCO1950, SCO4009, SCO5046, as well as of SCO0988 and RedX was down regulated, upon SCO3201 overexpression, whereas the expression of SCO1809 and SCO3367 was up regulated. A consensus binding motif was derived via alignment of the promoter regions of the genes negatively regulated. The positions of the predicted operator sites were consistent with a direct repressive effect of SCO3201 on 5 out of 7 of these promoters. Furthermore, the 2.1Å crystal structure of SCO3201 was solved, which provides a possible explanation for the high promiscuity of this regulator that might account for its dramatic effect on the differentiation process of S. coelicolor.

Developmental biology of Streptomyces from the perspective of 100 actinobacterial genome sequences

To illuminate the evolution and mechanisms of actinobacterial complexity, we evaluate the distribution and origins of known Streptomyces developmental genes and the developmental significance of actinobacteria-specific genes. As an aid, we developed the Actinoblast database of reciprocal blastp best hits between the Streptomyces coelicolor genome and more than 100 other actinobacterial genomes (http://streptomyces.org.uk/actinoblast/). We suggest that the emergence of morphological complexity was underpinned by special features of early actinobacteria, such as polar growth and the coupled participation of regulatory Wbl proteins and the redox-protecting thiol mycothiol in transducing a transient nitric oxide signal generated during physiologically stressful growth transitions. It seems that some cell growth and division proteins of early actinobacteria have acquired greater importance for sporulation of complex actinobacteria than for mycelial growth, in which septa are infrequent and not associated with complete cell separation. The acquisition of extracellular proteins with structural roles, a highly regulated extracellular protease cascade, and additional regulatory genes allowed early actinobacterial stationary phase processes to be redeployed in the emergence of aerial hyphae from mycelial mats and in the formation of spore chains. These extracellular proteins may have contributed to speciation. Simpler members of morphologically diverse clades have lost some developmental genes.

Identification of new developmentally regulated genes involved in Streptomyces coelicolor sporulation

Background

The sporulation of aerial hyphae of Streptomyces coelicolor is a complex developmental process. Only a limited number of the genes involved in this intriguing morphological differentiation programme are known, including some key regulatory genes. The aim of this study was to expand our knowledge of the gene repertoire involved in S. coelicolor sporulation.

Results

We report a DNA microarray-based investigation of developmentally controlled gene expression in S. coelicolor. By comparing global transcription patterns of the wild-type parent and two mutants lacking key regulators of aerial hyphal sporulation, we found a total of 114 genes that had significantly different expression in at least one of the two mutants compared to the wild-type during sporulation. A whiA mutant showed the largest effects on gene expression, while only a few genes were specifically affected by whiH mutation. Seven new sporulation loci were investigated in more detail with respect to expression patterns and mutant phenotypes. These included SCO7449-7451 that affect spore pigment biogenesis; SCO1773-1774 that encode an L-alanine dehydrogenase and a regulator-like protein and are required for maturation of spores; SCO3857 that encodes a protein highly similar to a nosiheptide resistance regulator and affects spore maturation; and four additional loci (SCO4421, SCO4157, SCO0934, SCO1195) that show developmental regulation but no overt mutant phenotype. Furthermore, we describe a new promoter-probe vector that takes advantage of the red fluorescent protein mCherry as a reporter of cell type-specific promoter activity.

Conclusion

Aerial hyphal sporulation in S. coelicolor is a technically challenging process for global transcriptomic investigations since it occurs only as a small fraction of the colony biomass and is not highly synchronized. Here we show that by comparing a wild-type to mutants lacking regulators that are specifically affecting processes in aerial hypha, it is possible to identify previously unknown genes with important roles in sporulation. The transcriptomic data reported here should also serve as a basis for identification of further developmentally important genes in future functional studies.

The conserved DNA-binding protein WhiA is involved in cell division in Bacillus subtilis

Bacterial cell division is a highly coordinated process that begins with the polymerization of the tubulin-like protein FtsZ at midcell. FtsZ polymerization is regulated by a set of conserved cell division proteins, including ZapA. However, a zapA mutation does not result in a clear phenotype in Bacillus subtilis. In this study, we used a synthetic-lethal screen to find genes that become essential when ZapA is mutated. Three transposon insertions were found in yvcL. The deletion of yvcL in a wild-type background had only a mild effect on growth, but a yvcL zapA double mutant is very filamentous and sick. This filamentation is caused by a strong reduction in FtsZ-ring assembly, suggesting that YvcL is involved in an early stage of cell division. YvcL is 25% identical and 50% similar to the Streptomyces coelicolor transcription factor WhiA, which induces ftsZ and is required for septation of aerial hyphae during sporulation. Using green fluorescent protein fusions, we show that YvcL localizes at the nucleoid. Surprisingly, transcriptome analyses in combination with a ChIP-on-chip assay gave no indication that YvcL functions as a transcription factor. To gain more insight into the function of YvcL, we searched for suppressors of the filamentous phenotype of a yvcL zapA double mutant. Transposon insertions in gtaB and pgcA restored normal cell division of the double mutant. The corresponding proteins have been implicated in the metabolic sensing of cell division. We conclude that YvcL (WhiA) is involved in cell division in B. subtilis through an as-yet-unknown mechanism.

Genes required for aerial growth, cell division, and chromosome segregation are targets of WhiA before sporulation in Streptomyces venezuelae

WhiA is a highly unusual transcriptional regulator related to a family of eukaryotic homing endonucleases. WhiA is required for sporulation in the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces, but WhiA homologues of unknown function are also found throughout the Gram-positive bacteria. To better understand the role of WhiA in Streptomyces development and its function as a transcription factor, we identified the WhiA regulon through a combination of chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) and microarray transcriptional profiling, exploiting a new model organism for the genus, Streptomyces venezuelae, which sporulates in liquid culture. The regulon encompasses ~240 transcription units, and WhiA appears to function almost equally as an activator and as a repressor. Bioinformatic analysis of the upstream regions of the complete regulon, combined with DNase I footprinting, identified a short but highly conserved asymmetric sequence, GACAC, associated with the majority of WhiA targets. Construction of a null mutant showed that whiA is required for the initiation of sporulation septation and chromosome segregation in S. venezuelae, and several genes encoding key proteins of the Streptomyces cell division machinery, such as ftsZ, ftsW, and ftsK, were found to be directly activated by WhiA during development. Several other genes encoding proteins with important roles in development were also identified as WhiA targets, including the sporulation-specific sigma factor σ(WhiG) and the diguanylate cyclase CdgB. Cell division is tightly coordinated with the orderly arrest of apical growth in the sporogenic cell, and filP, encoding a key component of the polarisome that directs apical growth, is a direct target for WhiA-mediated repression during sporulation.

IMPORTANCE

Since the initial identification of the genetic loci required for Streptomyces development, all of the bld and whi developmental master regulators have been cloned and characterized, and significant progress has been made toward understanding the cell biological processes that drive morphogenesis. A major challenge now is to connect the cell biological processes and the developmental master regulators by dissecting the regulatory networks that link the two. Studies of these regulatory networks have been greatly facilitated by the recent introduction of Streptomyces venezuelae as a new model system for the genus, a species that sporulates in liquid culture. Taking advantage of S. venezuelae, we have characterized the regulon of genes directly under the control of one of these master regulators, WhiA. Our results implicate WhiA in the direct regulation of key steps in sporulation, including the cessation of aerial growth, the initiation of cell division, and chromosome segregation.

Structure-function relationships of two paralogous single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from Streptomyces coelicolor: implication of SsbB in chromosome segregation during sporulation

The linear chromosome of Streptomyces coelicolor contains two paralogous ssb genes, ssbA and ssbB. Following mutational analysis, we concluded that ssbA is essential, whereas ssbB plays a key role in chromosome segregation during sporulation. In the ssbB mutant, ∼30% of spores lacked DNA. The two ssb genes were expressed differently; in minimal medium, gene expression was prolonged for both genes and significantly upregulated for ssbB. The ssbA gene is transcribed as part of a polycistronic mRNA from two initiation sites, 163 bp and 75 bp upstream of the rpsF translational start codon. The ssbB gene is transcribed as a monocistronic mRNA, from an unusual promoter region, 73 bp upstream of the AUG codon. Distinctive DNA-binding affinities of single-stranded DNA-binding proteins monitored by tryptophan fluorescent quenching and electrophoretic mobility shift were observed. The crystal structure of SsbB at 1.7 Å resolution revealed a common OB-fold, lack of the clamp-like structure conserved in SsbA and previously unpublished S-S bridges between the A/B and C/D subunits. This is the first report of the determination of paralogous single-stranded DNA-binding protein structures from the same organism. Phylogenetic analysis revealed frequent duplication of ssb genes in Actinobacteria, whereas their strong retention suggests that they are involved in important cellular functions.

Structural, functional and evolutionary relationships between homing endonucleases and proteins from their host organisms

Homing endonucleases (HEs) are highly specific DNA-cleaving enzymes that are encoded by invasive DNA elements (usually mobile introns or inteins) within the genomes of phage, bacteria, archea, protista and eukaryotic organelles. Six unique structural HE families, that collectively span four distinct nuclease catalytic motifs, have been characterized to date. Members of each family display structural homology and functional relationships to a wide variety of proteins from various organisms. The biological functions of those proteins are highly disparate and include non-specific DNA-degradation enzymes, restriction endonucleases, DNA-repair enzymes, resolvases, intron splicing factors and transcription factors. These relationships suggest that modern day HEs share common ancestors with proteins involved in genome fidelity, maintenance and gene expression. This review summarizes the results of structural studies of HEs and corresponding proteins from host organisms that have illustrated the manner in which these factors are related.

LAL regulators SCO0877 and SCO7173 as pleiotropic modulators of phosphate starvation response and actinorhodin biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor

LAL regulators (Large ATP-binding regulators of the LuxR family) constitute a poorly studied family of transcriptional regulators. Several regulators of this class have been identified in antibiotic and other secondary metabolite gene clusters from actinomycetes, thus they have been considered pathway-specific regulators. In this study we have obtained two disruption mutants of LAL genes from S. coelicolor (Δ0877 and Δ7173). Both mutants were deficient in the production of the polyketide antibiotic actinorhodin, and antibiotic production was restored upon gene complementation of the mutants. The use of whole-genome DNA microarrays and quantitative PCRs enabled the analysis of the transcriptome of both mutants in comparison with the wild type. Our results indicate that the LAL regulators under study act globally affecting various cellular processes, and amongst them the phosphate starvation response and the biosynthesis of the blue-pigmented antibiotic actinorhodin. Both regulators act as negative modulators of the expression of the two-component phoRP system and as positive regulators of actinorhodin biosynthesis. To our knowledge this is the first characterization of LAL regulators with wide implications in Streptomyces metabolism.

Signals and regulators that govern Streptomyces development

Streptomyces coelicolor is the genetically best characterized species of a populous genus belonging to the gram-positive Actinobacteria. Streptomycetes are filamentous soil organisms, well known for the production of a plethora of biologically active secondary metabolic compounds. The Streptomyces developmental life cycle is uniquely complex and involves coordinated multicellular development with both physiological and morphological differentiation of several cell types, culminating in the production of secondary metabolites and dispersal of mature spores. This review presents a current appreciation of the signaling mechanisms used to orchestrate the decision to undergo morphological differentiation, and the regulators and regulatory networks that direct the intriguing development of multigenomic hyphae first to form specialized aerial hyphae and then to convert them into chains of dormant spores. This current view of S. coelicolor development is destined for rapid evolution as data from '-omics' studies shed light on gene regulatory networks, new genetic screens identify hitherto unknown players, and the resolution of our insights into the underlying cell biological processes steadily improve.

DNA recognition and transcriptional regulation by the WhiA sporulation factor

Sporulation in the filamentous bacteria Streptomyces coelicolor is a tightly regulated process involving aerial hyphae growth, chromosome segregation, septation and spore maturation. Genetic studies have identified numerous genes that regulate sporulation, including WhiA and the sigma factor WhiG. WhiA, which has been postulated to be a transcriptional regulator, contains two regions typically associated with DNA binding: an N-terminal domain similar to LAGLIDADG homing endonucleases, and a C-terminal helix-turn-helix domain. We characterized several in vitro activities displayed by WhiA. It binds at least two sporulation-specific promoters: its own and that of parABp₂. DNA binding is primarily driven by its HTH domain, but requires full-length protein for maximum affinity. WhiA transcription is stimulated by WhiG, while the WhiA protein binds directly to WhiG (leading to inhibition of WhiG-dependent transcription). These separate activities, which resemble a possible feedback loop, may help coordinate the closely timed cessation of aerial growth and subsequent spore formation.

Homing endonucleases: from microbial genetic invaders to reagents for targeted DNA modification

Homing endonucleases are microbial DNA-cleaving enzymes that mobilize their own reading frames by generating double strand breaks at specific genomic invasion sites. These proteins display an economy of size, and yet recognize long DNA sequences (typically 20 to 30 base pairs). They exhibit a wide range of fidelity at individual nucleotide positions in a manner that is strongly influenced by host constraints on the coding sequence of the targeted gene. The activity of these proteins leads to site-specific recombination events that can result in the insertion, deletion, mutation, or correction of DNA sequences. Over the past fifteen years, the crystal structures of representatives from several homing endonuclease families have been solved, and methods have been described to create variants of these enzymes that cleave novel DNA targets. Engineered homing endonucleases proteins are now being used to generate targeted genomic modifications for a variety of biotech and medical applications.

Streptomyces scopuliridis sp. nov., a bacteriocin-producing soil streptomycete

Actinomycete strain RB72(T) was isolated from woodland bluff soil in northern Alabama, USA, and shown to produce a broad spectrum bacteriocin. Based on morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the strain was determined to belong to the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analysis of the near-complete 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that it differed from those of the described streptomycetes available in public databases. The distinctive white aerial hyphae and lack of sporulation suggest a deficiency in the whi pathway of the organism. A combination of substrate utilization patterns, morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics and DNA-DNA hybridization results supported the affiliation of strain RB72(T) to the genus Streptomyces and enabled the genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain RB72(T) from closely related reference strains. Strain RB72(T) therefore represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces scopuliridis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RB72(T) ( = DSM 41917(T)  = NRRL B-24574(T)).

The complex whiJ locus mediates environmentally sensitive repression of development of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

A segment of DNA was isolated that complemented several poorly characterised sporulation-defective white-colony mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) from an early collection (Hopwood et al., J Gen Microbiol 61: 397-408, 1970). Complementation was attributable to a gene, SCO4543, named whiJ, encoding a likely DNA-binding protein. Surprisingly, although some mutations in whiJ had a white colony phenotype, complete deletion of the wild-type or mutant gene gave a wild-type morphology. The whiJ gene is a member of a large paralogous set of S. coelicolor genes including abaAorfA, which regulates antibiotic production; and genes flanking whiJ are paralogues of other gene classes that are often associated with whiJ-like genes (Gehring et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97: 9642-9647, 2000). Thus, the small gene SCO4542 encodes a paralogue of the abaAorfD gene product, and SCO4544 encodes a paralogue of a family of likely anti-sigma factors (including the product of abaAorfB). Deletion of SCO4542 resulted in a medium-dependent bald- or white-colony phenotype, which could be completely suppressed by the simultaneous deletion of whiJ. A model is proposed in which WhiJ binds to operator sequences to repress developmental genes, with repression being released by interaction with the WhiJ-associated SCO4542 protein. It is suggested that this activity of SCO4542 protein is prevented by an unknown signal.

The structure of a bacterial DUF199/WhiA protein: domestication of an invasive endonuclease

Proteins of the DUF199 family, present in all Gram-positive bacteria and best characterized by the WhiA sporulation control factor in Streptomyces coelicolor, are thought to act as genetic regulators. The crystal structure of the DUF199/WhiA protein from Thermatoga maritima demonstrates that these proteins possess a bipartite structure, in which a degenerate N-terminal LAGLIDADG homing endonuclease (LHE) scaffold is tethered to a C-terminal helix-turn-helix (HTH) domain. The LHE domain has lost those residues critical for metal binding and catalysis, and also displays an extensively altered DNA-binding surface as compared with homing endonucleases. The HTH domain most closely resembles related regions of several bacterial sigma70 factors that bind the -35 regions of bacterial promoters. The structure illustrates how an invasive element might be transformed during evolution into a larger assemblage of protein folds that can participate in the regulation of a complex biological pathway.

SmeA, a small membrane protein with multiple functions in Streptomyces sporulation including targeting of a SpoIIIE/FtsK-like protein to cell division septa

Sporulation in aerial hyphae of Streptomyces coelicolor involves profound changes in regulation of fundamental morphogenetic and cell cycle processes to convert the filamentous and multinucleoid cells to small unigenomic spores. Here, a novel sporulation locus consisting of smeA (encoding a small putative membrane protein) and sffA (encoding a SpoIIIE/FtsK-family protein) is characterized. Deletion of smeA-sffA gave rise to pleiotropic effects on spore maturation, and influenced the segregation of chromosomes and placement of septa during sporulation. Both smeA and sffA were expressed specifically in apical cells of sporogenic aerial hyphae simultaneously with or slightly after Z-ring assembly. The presence of smeA-like genes in streptomycete chromosomes, plasmids and transposons, often paired with a gene for a SpoIIIE/FtsK- or Tra-like protein, indicates that SmeA and SffA functions might be related to DNA transfer. During spore development SffA accumulated specifically at sporulation septa where it colocalized with FtsK. However, sffA did not show redundancy with ftsK, and SffA function appeared distinct from the DNA translocase activity displayed by FtsK during closure of sporulation septa. The septal localization of SffA was dependent on SmeA, suggesting that SmeA may act as an assembly factor for SffA and possibly other proteins required during spore maturation.

Identification and characterization of sawC, a whiA-like gene, essential for sporulation in Streptomyces ansochromogenes

sawC, encoding a protein homologous to the WhiA sporulation regulator of Streptomyces coelicolor, was cloned from a fairly distantly related species, Streptomyces ansochromogenes. Disruption of sawC led to formation of aerial mycelium much longer than normal spore chains and with somewhat increased coiling, indicating that sawC plays an important role in the cessation of aerial hyphal growth similar to that of whiA, and that it has an effect on cell wall structure. However, complementation of sawC and whiA mutants with the same DNA fragment gave different results, which suggested that there may be some difference in regulation or function of WhiA/SawC between the two strains. S1 nuclease mapping identified one transcription start point of sawC. Using EGFP as a reporter, the spatial expression of sawC was shown to be confined to aerial hyphae. Computer-aided structural prediction analysis of SawC/WhiA proteins revealed the presence of a fold very similar to the endonuclease domain of PI-PfuI, raising the possibility that these proteins may interact with an intermediate in DNA repair or replication.

The transcriptional regulatory network of the amino acid producer Corynebacterium glutamicum

The complete nucleotide sequence of the Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 genome was previously determined and allowed the reliable prediction of 3002 protein-coding genes within this genome. Using computational methods, we have defined 158 genes, which form the minimal repertoire for proteins that presumably act as transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Most of these regulatory proteins have a direct role as DNA-binding transcriptional regulator, while others either have less well-defined functions in transcriptional regulation or even more general functions, such as the sigma factors. Recent advances in genome-wide transcriptional profiling of C. glutamicum generated a huge amount of data on regulation of gene expression. To understand transcriptional regulation of gene expression from the perspective of systems biology, rather than from the analysis of an individual regulatory protein, we compiled the current knowledge on the defined DNA-binding transcriptional regulators and their physiological role in modulating transcription in response to environmental signals. This comprehensive data collection provides a solid basis for database-guided reconstructions of the gene regulatory network of C. glutamicum, currently comprising 56 transcriptional regulators that exert 411 regulatory interactions to control gene expression. A graphical reconstruction revealed first insights into the functional modularity, the hierarchical architecture and the topological design principles of the transcriptional regulatory network of C. glutamicum.

The evolution of development inStreptomycesanalysed by genome comparisons

There is considerable information about the genetic control of the processes by which mycelial Streptomyces bacteria form spore-bearing aerial hyphae. The recent acquisition of genome sequences for 16 species of actinobacteria, including two streptomycetes, makes it possible to try to reconstruct the evolution of Streptomyces differentiation by a comparative genomic approach, and to place the results in the context of current views on the evolution of bacteria. Most of the developmental genes evaluated are found only in actinobacteria that form sporulating aerial hyphae, with several being peculiar to streptomycetes. Only four (whiA, whiB, whiD, crgA) are generally present in nondifferentiating actinobacteria, and only two (whiA, whiG) are found in other bacteria, where they are widespread. Thus, the evolution of Streptomyces development has probably involved the stepwise acquisition of laterally transferred DNA, each successive acquisition giving rise either to regulatory changes that affect the conditions under which development is initiated, or to changes in cellular structure or morphology.

Developmental control of a parAB promoter leads to formation of sporulation-associated ParB complexes in Streptomyces coelicolor

The Streptomyces coelicolor partitioning protein ParB binds to numerous parS sites in the oriC-proximal part of the linear chromosome. ParB binding results in the formation of large complexes, which behave differentially during the complex life cycle (D. Jakimowicz, B. Gust, J. Zakrzewska-Czerwinska, and K. F. Chater, J. Bacteriol. 187:3572-3580, 2005). Here we have analyzed the transcriptional regulation that underpins this developmentally specific behavior. Analysis of promoter mutations showed that the irregularly spaced complexes present in vegetative hyphae are dependent on the constitutive parABp(1) promoter, while sporulation-specific induction of the promoter parABp(2) is required for the assembly of arrays of ParB complexes in aerial hyphae and thus is necessary for efficient chromosome segregation. Expression from parABp(2) depended absolutely on two sporulation regulatory genes, whiA and whiB, and partially on two others, whiH and whiI, all four of which are needed for sporulation septation. Because of this pattern of dependence, we investigated the transcription of these four whi genes in whiA and whiB mutants, revealing significant regulatory interplay between whiA and whiB. A strain in which sporulation septation (but not vegetative septation) was blocked by mutation of a sporulation-specific promoter of ftsZ showed close to wild-type induction of parABp(2) and formed fairly regular ParB-enhanced green fluorescent protein foci in aerial hyphae, ruling out strong morphological coupling or checkpoint regulation between septation and DNA partitioning during sporulation. A model for developmental regulation of parABp(2) expression is presented.

Sigma factor WhiG and its regulation constitute a target of a mutational phenomenon occurring during aerial mycelium growth in Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877

The genetic instability of Streptomyces ambofaciens affects the pigmentation of colonies and generates a variety of mutants the majority of which display large genome rearrangements. Among them, the Pig-pap mutants, which probably result from a mutational event occurring during aerial mycelium growth, display specific features, since they are unable to sporulate and do not harbor any large detectable genome rearrangements. To identify the mutational event causing their phenotype, three Pig-pap mutants originating from three independent mutational events were characterized. These mutants exhibited a whiG-like phenotype which was suppressed by the introduction of one copy of Streptomyces coelicolor whiG. Their own whiG gene was devoid of mutations and appeared to be transcribed at a level similar to that of the WT. However, whiH, the expression of which depends on sigma(WhiG), was not transcribed in any of the three Pig-pap mutants, suggesting that the sigma(WhiG) was absent or inactive. This suggests that in these Pig-pap mutants, the regulation of sigma(WhiG) might be affected. Finally, the introduction of S. coelicolor whiG in one of these Pig-pap mutants restored not only pigmentation and sporulation, but also the ability to once again form white papillae. Analyses of transgene whiG in these papillae revealed that it constitutes a mutational target during aerial mycelium formation when integrated into the genome of this Pig-pap mutant.

The product of a developmental gene, crgA, that coordinates reproductive growth in Streptomyces belongs to a novel family of small actinomycete-specific proteins

On solid media, the reproductive growth of Streptomyces involves antibiotic biosynthesis coincident with the erection of filamentous aerial hyphae. Following cessation of growth of an aerial hypha, multiple septation occurs at the tip to form a chain of unigenomic spores. A gene, crgA, that coordinates several aspects of this reproductive growth is described. The gene product is representative of a well-conserved family of small actinomycete proteins with two C-terminal hydrophobic-potential membrane-spanning segments. In Streptomyces avermitilis, crgA is required for sporulation, and inactivation of the gene abolished most sporulation septation in aerial hyphae. Disruption of the orthologous gene in Streptomyces coelicolor indicates that whereas CrgA is not essential for sporulation in this species, during growth on glucose-containing media, it influences the timing of the onset of reproductive growth, with precocious erection of aerial hyphae and antibiotic production by the mutant. Moreover, CrgA subsequently acts to inhibit sporulation septation prior to growth arrest of aerial hyphae. Overexpression of CrgA in S. coelicolor, uncoupling any nutritional and growth phase-dependent regulation, results in growth of nonseptated aerial hyphae on all media tested, consistent with a role for the protein in inhibiting sporulation septation.

Generation of a non-sporulating strain of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) by the manipulation of a developmentally controlled ftsZ promoter

The differentiation of Streptomyces aerial hyphae into chains of unigenomic spores occurs through the synchronous formation of multiple FtsZ rings, leading to sporulation septa. We show here that developmental control of ftsZ transcription is required for sporulation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Three putative ftsZ promoters were detected in the ftsQ-ftsZ intergenic region. In addition, some readthrough from upstream promoter(s) contributed to ftsZ transcription. S1 nuclease protection assays and transcriptional fusions of the ftsZ promoter region to the egfp gene (for green fluorescent protein) provided evidence that ftsZ2p is a developmentally controlled promoter that is specifically upregulated in sporulating aerial hyphae. This upregulation required all the six early regulatory sporulation genes that were tested: whiA, B, G, H, I and J. The DNA sequence of the promoter indicated that it is not part of the developmental regulon that is controlled by the RNA polymerase sigma factor sigma(WhiG). A strain in which the ftsZ2p promoter was inactivated grew normally during vegetative growth and formed aerial mycelium, but was deficient in sporulation septation. Thus, ftsZ2p was dispensable for vegetative growth, but was required for the strain to make sufficient FtsZ to support developmentally controlled multiple cell divisions in aerial hyphae.