Inventors:
Karen L. Cox - Martinsville IN
Eugene T. Seno - Indianapolis IN
Gene M. Wild - Indianapolis IN
Assignee:
Eli Lilly and Company - Indianpolis IN
International Classification:
C12N 121
C12N 1552
C12N 1576
C12P 1962
Abstract:
The present invention discloses a method for producing a novel antibiotic, 2"'-O-demethyltylosin. The novel antibiotic, utilizing recombinant DNA technology, can be produced from a transformed mutant of a tylosin producing microorganism. By transforming for example Streptomyces fradiae GS 16 with plasmid pHJL284, the transformant can produce 2"'-O-demethyltylosin. Streytomyces fradiae GS16 is a tylosin producing species that contain a mutation in the tylE gene found in the tylosin biosynthetic pathway. The tylE gene codes for demethylmacrocin 2"'-O-methyltransferase enzyme (DMOMT), the enzyme that methylates the 2-hydroxyl position of the 6-deoxyallose moiety. Plasmid pHJL284 contains the cloned tylF gene which codes for the macrocin 3"'-O-methyltransferase enzxyme (MOMT), the enzyme that methylates the 3"'-hydroxyl position, but it does not contain the tylE gene. Transformation of S. fradiae GS16 with plasmid pHJL284 results in increased copies of the tylF gene in the absence of the tylE gene, therefore allowing an increased rate of methylation of the 3"'-hydroxyl position in the absence of the methyl group at the 2"'-hydroxyl position.