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Streptomycin-sensitivity in Streptomyces glaucescens is due to deletions comprising the structural gene coding for a specific phosphotransferase

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Summary

The wild type strain of Streptomyces glaucescens produces hydroxystreptomycin and has a natural resistance towards the streptomycin group aminoglycoside antibiotics. The inherent resistance is a genetically unstable character and mutant strains sensitive to streptomycins arise spontaneously at unusually high frequencies. The gene conferring streptomycin resistance was cloned and characterised as a streptomycin specific phosphotransferase. Hybridisation experiments show that the mutational event leading to sensitivity is due to large deletions, most likely on the chromosome, comprehending the structural gene coding for a streptomycin phosphotransferase and its flanking regions. Interspecific expression of the S. glaucescens phosphotransferase was found in Streptomyces lividans as well as in Escherichia coli.

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Abbreviations

bp:

base pairs

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

kb:

kilobases'

TES:

n-tris(hydroxymethyl) methyl-2-aminoethane sulfonic acid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mikrobiologisches Institut, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule, ETH-Zentrum, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland

    Gilberto Hintermann, Reto Crameri, Martin Vögtli & Ralf Hütter

Authors
  1. Gilberto Hintermann
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  2. Reto Crameri
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  3. Martin Vögtli
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  4. Ralf Hütter
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Communicated by W. Arber

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Hintermann, G., Crameri, R., Vögtli, M. et al. Streptomycin-sensitivity in Streptomyces glaucescens is due to deletions comprising the structural gene coding for a specific phosphotransferase. Molec. Gen. Genet. 196, 513–520 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436201

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436201

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