Learn from microbial intelligence for avermectins overproduction

• Published in: Current opinion in biotechnology Vol. 48; pp. 251 - 257
• Main Authors: Gao, Qiang, Tan, Gao-Yi, Xia, Xuekui, Zhang, Lixin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - metabolism; Biosynthetic Pathways; Fermentation; Genetic Engineering; Humans; Ivermectin - analogs & derivatives; Ivermectin - chemistry; Ivermectin - metabolism
• ISSN: 0958-1669; 1879-0429
• DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.08.016

[Display omitted] •Microorganisms are intelligent for their lives.•A high-throughput synergy screening strategy is very helpful for finding potent antibiotic functions.•Avermectin is a successful example for industrial overproduction with a 5Ms strategy.•Study the microbial intelligence will improve actinomycetes as powerful cell factories. Microbial strains are amazingly clever by homeostasis of their own survival and optimization for the overproduction of a desired phenotype, for example drugable secondary metabolites through coordination of key genes overexpression and media optimizations. Besides their pesticide activities, avermectins (AVMs) are identified as potent antibiotic agents for a wide range of drug-resistant pathogens by a high-throughput synergy screening strategy. To rewire the genetic circuitry controlling low yields, we summarized the work on balancing the biological chassis with functional parts, and optimized their dynamical process, as well as predicted favorable effective overproduction of AVMs by 5Ms strategy. AVMs are exclusively made in China now and intelligences learned from the success of AVMs will help transform microbes into a true power-house of innovation.