Production of microbial secondary metabolites: Regulation by the carbon source

• Published in: Critical reviews in microbiology Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 146 - 167
• Main Authors: Ruiz, Beatriz, Chávez, Adán, Forero, Angela, García-Huante, Yolanda, Romero, Alba, Sánchez, Mauricio, Rocha, Diana, Sánchez, Brenda, Rodríguez-Sanoja, Romina, Sánchez, Sergio, Langley, Elizabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Informa UK Ltd 01.05.2010; Taylor & Francis; Informa
• Subjects: Bacteria - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Products - biosynthesis; Biological Products - pharmacology; Bld proteins; carbon; Carbon - metabolism; carbon catabolite repressor (CreA); Carbon source regulation; catabolite control protein (CCpA); cyclic AMP (cAMP); fermentation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; human health; Humans; industry; Microbiology; molecular weight; phosphoenolpyruvate: phosphotransferase system (PTS); secondary metabolites; strain improvement; Streptomyces; catabolite control protein (CCpA); Carbon source regulation; Streptomycetaceae; Enzyme; Metabolite; strain improvement; Cyclic AMP; Streptomyces; cyclic AMP (cAMP); Review; Protein; Strain; Actinomycetales; Isomerases; secondary metabolites; Intramolecular transferases; Bacteria; phosphoenolpyruvate:phosphotransferase system (PTS); Actinomycetes; Bld proteins; Phosphotransferases; carbon catabolite repressor (CreA)
• ISSN: 1040-841X; 1549-7828; 1549-7828
• DOI: 10.3109/10408410903489576

Microbial secondary metabolites are low molecular mass products, not essential for growth of the producing cultures, but very important for human health. They include antibiotics, antitumor agents, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and others. They have unusual structures and are usually formed during the late growth phase of the producing microorganisms. Its synthesis can be influenced greatly by manipulating the type and concentration of the nutrients formulating the culture media. Among these nutrients, the effect of the carbon sources has been the subject of continuous studies for both, industry and research groups. Different mechanisms have been described in bacteria and fungi to explain the negative carbon catabolite effects on secondary metabolite production. Their knowledge and manipulation have been useful either for setting fermentation conditions or for strain improvement. During the last years, important advances have been reported on these mechanisms at the biochemical and molecular levels. The aim of the present review is to describe these advances, giving special emphasis to those reported for the genus Streptomyces.