Genetics and Product Formation in Streptomyces, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1991 F.E.M.S. Symposium Series, Vol. 55

The Streptomycetes are industrially widely used microorganisms due to their ability to produce numerous different chemical compounds. These show very varied effects upon other living systems, and result from profound and subtle biochemical and morphological differentiation during the streptomycete life cycle. It is therefore not surprising that research on the genetics of antibiotic biosynthesis and differentiation in this group is currently progressing rapidly in many countries. Intimately connected with the production of antibiotics is resistance to them; analysis of this is giving further information about the origin and evolution of this class of genes and their hypothesized spread among other microorganisms. Another interesting feature of the Streptomyces group is their mycelial growth. Also, their ecologically important utilization of high molecular weight compounds requires enzymes to be transported outside the cell to hydrolyze non-diffusible substrates. Finally, we have as yet limited understanding of the various mechanisms of genome rearrangement observed in some of these species; deletions and/or amplifications of enormous amounts of DNA can occur without seriously affecting the viability of the organism under laboratory conditions. The present volume, which includes contributions addressing the above subjects and others, originates from a meeting on "Genetics and Product Formation in Streptomyces" sponsored by the Federation of European Microbiological Societies in Erfurt on May 1-6 1990. Compared to previous ones of this kind held in 1979, 1983 and 1987 in Weimar, one can point to impressive progress in the study and applications of Streptomyces genetics.

Transcription/Translation, Primary/Secondary Metabolism, Differentiation.- Gene Expression During Sporulation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2).- Presence of Factor C in Streptomycetes and Other Bacteria.- Streptomyces griseus Proteins Post-translationally Modified by ADP-ribosylation During the Life Cycle.- Induction of the Stringent Response in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) and Its Possible Role in Antibiotic Production.- The Relationship Between Primary and Secondary Metabolism in Streptomycetes.- Isolation and Sequence of a tRNAGly (CCC) from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2).- Measurement of Translational Accuracy in Streptomyces.- t-RNA Genes in Streptomyces lividans: Structure, Organization and Construction of Suppressor t-RNA.- Characterization of Eight Groups (Species) of Saccharopolyspora Phages — An Example for Studying Modular Organization of Actinophage Genomes.- Antibiotic Synthesis.- Antibiotic Synthesis.- Cephamycin Production by Streptomyces clavuligerus.- Molecular Genetics of Oxytetracycline Production by Streptomyces rimosus.- Genetic Characterization and Cloning of Genes for Chlortetracycline Resistance in Streptomyces aureofaciens Strains.- Bromoperoxidase from Streptomyces aureofaciens TÜ24 and Its Role in 7-Chlortetracycline Biosynthesis.- Enzymes and Coenzymes of the Terminal Part of the Antibiotic Biosynthetic Pathway in Streptomycetes Producing Tetracyclines.- Molecular Genetic Investigation of Streptomyces bambergiensis and Streptomyces fradiae Strains, the Producers of Flavomycin and Tylosin.- Antibiotic Resistance.- Antibiotic Resistance: Present State and Prospects.- Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance and Production Genes in Streptomycetes.- Genetic Analysis of Different Resistance Mechanisms against the Herbicidal Antibiotic Phosphinothricyl-alanyl-alanine.- Investigations of Expression and Protein Sequence of the Aminoacetyltransferase Gene nat1 from Streptomyces noursei.- Beta-lactamase Genes from Streptomyces Species.- Protein Secretion.- Protein Biosynthesis and Secretion.- Homologous Cloning of the Xylanase Genes and Their Expression in Streptomyces lividans 66.- Pullulan-hydrolysing Enzymes of Streptomycetes: Effect of Carbon Source on Their Production and Characterization of a Pullulanase-negative Mutant.- The Tendamistat Expression-secretion System: Synthesis of Proinsulin Fusion Proteins with Streptomyces lividans.- Construction and Use of a Secretion Vector in Streptomyces.- Genetic Instability.- Genetic Instability.- Genetic Instability in Streptomyces.- A New System to Study DNA Amplification in Streptomyces lividans.- Analysis of Amplifications and Deletions in Streptomyces Species.- Analysis of Large Deletions and Characterization of the Deletion Endpoints Associated with an Amplifiable DNA Region in Streptomyces lividans.- Instabilities and Population Genetics.- An Introduction.- Structural Instability of Bifunctional Vectors in Streptomyces.- Population Genetic Proceses in Continuously Cultivated Streptomyces Strains Reflect Genetic Instabilities.- Partitioning of Plasmids in Streptomyces: Segregation in Continuous Culture of a Vector with Temperature-sensitive Replication.- Mathematical Models of Plasmid Partitioning in Unicellular Bacteria and in Streptomycetes.- DNA Topoisomerases from Streptomyces and Their Inhibition by Some Antibiotic and Antitumoractive Agents.