Organization of the gene cluster for biosynthesis of penicillin in Penicillium nalgiovense and antibiotic production in cured dry sausages

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 1236 - 1240
• Main Authors: Laich, F, Fierro, F, Cardoza, R.E, Martin, J.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.03.1999
• Subjects: agar; antibacterial properties; Antibiotics; Aspergillus nidulans; Bacteria; beta-lactamase; Biological and medical sciences; Biosynthesis; Blotting, Southern; Culture Media; cured meats; DNA Fingerprinting; Food industries; Food preservation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Genes; Genes, Fungal; genetics; isolation & purification; liquids; Meat; Meat and meat product industries; Meat Products; Meat Products - microbiology; metabolism; Microbiology; Multigene Family; Mycology; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Penicillins; Penicillins - biosynthesis; Penicillium; Penicillium - genetics; Penicillium - isolation & purification; Penicillium - metabolism; Penicillium chrysogenum; Penicillium chrysogenum - genetics; Penicillium nalgiovense; Restriction Mapping; ripening; salami; Spain; Spain; Gene cluster; Sausage; Preservation; Meat product; Homology; Gene organization; Biosynthesis; Fungi; Characterization; Antibiotic; Penicillin; Isolate; Fungi Imperfecti; Biological contamination; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.65.3.1236-1240.1999

Several fungal isolates obtained from two cured meat products from Spain were identified as Penicillium nalgiovense by their morphological features and by DNA fingerprinting. All P. nalgiovense isolates showed antibiotic activity in agar diffusion assays, and their penicillin production in liquid complex medium ranged from 6 to 38 microgram (.) ml(-1). We constructed a restriction map of the penicillin gene cluster of P. nalgiovense and found that the organization of the penicillin biosynthetic genes (pcbAB, pcbC, and penDE) is the same as in Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus nidulans. The pcbAB gene is located in an orientation opposite that of the pcbC and penDE genes in all three species. Significant amounts of penicillin were found in situ in the casing and the outer layer of salami meat during early stages of the curing process, coinciding with fungal colonization, but no penicillin was detected in the cured salami. The antibiotic produced in situ was sensitive to penicillinase.