An influence of the copy number of biosynthetic gene clusters on the production level of antibiotics in a heterologous host.

Streptomyces albus J1074 is a well-known host for heterologous expression of secondary metabolites. To further increase its potential and to study the influence of cluster multiplication, additional φC31-attachment site was integrated into its genome using a system for transposon mutagenesis. Four secondary metabolite clusters were expressed in strains with different numbers of attachment sites, ranging from one to three copies of the site. Secondary metabolite production was examined and a new compound could be detected, purified and its structure was elucidated.