Rhodostreptomycins, Antibiotics Biosynthesized Following Horizontal Gene Transfer from Streptomyces padanus to Rhodococcus fascians

摘要

It has become increasingly evident that horizontal gene transfer is central to microbial activities that influence our health and the environment. The influence of horizontal gene transfer in antibiotic production has not been well documented, although there is indirect evidence that it occurs. We carried out competitive co-cultures between a multi-antibiotic resistant mutant of a strain of Rhodococcus fascians that does not produce an antibiotic and a strain of Streptomyces padanus that is a highly stable actinomycin producer. A strain (307CO) of the Rhodococcus emerged from one such culture with the concomitant elimination of the Streptomyces.