A novel gene— samfR involved in early stage of Streptomyces ansochromogenes differentiation
A novel gene——samfR involved in early stage of Streptomyces ansochromogenes differentiation

A 4.6 kb DNA fragment was cloned from the DNA library ofStreptomyces ansochromogenes using a partial DNA fragment located in the downstream of promoter-PTH4 as probe. The experiments revealed that this DNA fragment consists ofsaw D gene and a 1.4 kbPvu II fragment which can accelerate mycelium formation ofS. ansochromogenes. The nucleotide sequence of 1.4 kb DNA fragment was determined and analysed; the result indicated that the fragment contains one complete open reading frame (ORF) which encodes a protein with 213 amino acids, and this gene was designated assamfR. The deduced protein has 36% amino acid identities and 52% amino acid similarities in comparison with that encoded byhppR gene, which is involved in the regulation of catabolism for 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (3HPP) inRhodococcus globerulus. The function ofsamfR gene was studied using strategy of gene disruption, and the resultingsamfR mutant failed to form aerial hyphae and spores, its development and differentiation stopped at the stage of substrate mycelium in contrast with wild type strain. The results showed that thesamfR gene is closely related toS. ansochromogenes differentiation. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 39830010).