Decision phase regulation of streptomycin production in Streptomyces griseus

• Published in: Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) Vol. 142; no. 8; pp. 1953 - 1963
• Main Authors: Neumann, Thomas, Piepersberg, Wolfgang, Distler, Jurgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.08.1996; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Antibiotics (antibacterial agents, antifungal agents); Antibiotics, microbial producers, chemotherapic agents, antiseptics, disinfecting agents; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Mission oriented research; Physiology and metabolism; Streptomyces griseus; Growing phase; Microorganism growth; Streptomycetaceae; Streptomycin; Biosynthesis; Metabolism; Actinomycetales; Antibiotic; Regulation(control); Aminoglycoside; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Streptomyces griseus; Differentiation
• ISSN: 1350-0872; 1465-2080
• DOI: 10.1099/13500872-142-8-1953

Institut für Chemische Mikrobiologie, Bergische Universität GH Wuppertal, Gauss-Str. 20, 42109 Wuppertal, Germany 2 Author for correspondence: Jürgen Distler. Tel: +49 202 439 2798. Fax: +49 202 439 2698. e-mail: distler@wres2.urz.uni-wuppertal.de ABSTRACT The streptomycin (Sm) producer, Streptomyces griseus N2-3-11, shows medium-independent biphasic kinetics of the vegetative or exponential growth phase (EGP), reflecting an innate clock-like behaviour of growth and differentiation. The S. griseus growth and development cycle has the following characteristics: (1) after the developmental cycle commences, it cannot be influenced by environmental conditions; (2) the first EGP (decision phase) and its duration seem to be genetically determined, and it is also exhibited in pleiotropic mutants deficient in differentiation and antibiotic production; (3) during this early phase of growth, the decision to produce Sm is established and the fixation of later production and differentiation can only be influenced by effector molecules, e.g. A-factor, during this period; (4) after the onset of the second EGP, the commitment to Sm production cannot be reversed by dilution into fresh medium, nor by effector molecules; (5) the length of time of this effector-insensitive growth phase (second EGP or execution phase) can be extended by dilution into fresh medium; (6) the differentiation cycle of S. griseus is completed on entering stationary phase. The cells of S. griseus then return to a decision-making stage and recover sensitivity to effector molecules. Evidence that this type of phasing is valid for the growth and developmental cycles of all streptomycetes is discussed. Keywords: Streptomyces griseus , streptomycin, biosynthesis, regulation, A-factor