Characterisation of a Streptomyces antibioticus gene encoding a type I polyketide synthase which has an unusual coding sequence.

A gene (ORFB) from Streptomyces antibioticus (an oleandomycin producer) encoding a large, multifunctional polyketide synthase (PKS) was cloned and sequenced. Its product shows an internal duplication and a close similarity to the third subunit of the PKS involved in erythromycin biosynthesis by Saccharopolyspora erythraea, showing the equivalent nine active site domains in the same order along the polypeptide. An unusual feature of this ORF is the GC content of most of the sequence, which is surprisingly low, for a Streptomyces gene; the large number of codons with T in the third position is particularly striking. The last 800 bp of the gene stand out as being normal in their GC content, this region corresponding almost exactly to the thioesterase domain of the gene and suggesting that this domain was a late addition to the PKS. Based on the high degree of similarity between the ORFB product and the third subunit of the erythromycin PKS and the occurrence nearby of a gene conferring oleandomycin resistance, it is possible that this gene might be involved in the biosynthesis of the oleandomycin lactone ring.