Aims: The main objective of this study was to produce erythronolide B (EB) and 3-O-α-mycarosylerythronolide B (MEB) in Streptomyces coelicolor and enhance the MEB production by expressing the glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase (RfbA).
Methods and results: We expressed eryF and eryB genes (eryBII, eryBIII, eryBIV, eryBV, eryBVI, and eryBVII) to produce EB and MEB. The expression was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the MEB's production was improved by more than 100-fold by expressing an enzyme, RfbA, which is absent from the erythromycin gene cluster, to promote the biosynthesis of TDP-L-mycarose. We discuss the feasibility of alternative Streptomyces species for erythromycin production based on the presence or absence of RfbA.
Conclusions: The RbfA enzyme from Saccharopolyspora erythraea was expressed in S. coelicolor M1152 along with the MEB biosynthesis pathway, resulting in a large increase in MEB production (>100-fold).
Keywords: Streptomyces coelicolor; 3-O-α-mycarosylerythronolide B; erythromycin; glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase; heterologous expression.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.