The glycerol utilization operon of Streptomyces coelicolor: genetic mapping of gyl mutations and the analysis of cloned gylDNA.

Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gylB) mutations (which cause glycerol sensitivity), and presumed glycerol kinase (gylA) and/or regulatory mutations eliminating both glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and glycerol kinase activities, map close to the argA locus of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Using the plasmid vector pIJ702 and restriction enzymes BglII and SstI, extensively overlapping S. coelicolor DNA fragments of 2.74 kb and 2.84 kb were isolated, either of which could restore the wild-type phenotype to gylB and some gylA mutants. Genetic and biochemical analyses of mutants carrying the cloned gyl DNA suggested that a functional gyl promoter had not been cloned, and that restoration of the Gyl+ phenotype was achieved by recombination between the cloned and chromosomal gyl DNA sequences. After subcloning parts of this DNA into the phage vector phi C31 KC400, "gene disruption" analysis was carried out, which confirmed the absence of the gyl promoter, and indicated that a polycistronic mRNA traverses gylA and then gylB.