Functional Analysis of P450 Monooxygenase SrrO in the Biosynthesis of Butenolide-Type Signaling Molecules in <i>Streptomyces</i> <i>rochei</i>

<i>Streptomyces rochei</i> 7434AN4 produces two structurally unrelated polyketide antibiotics lankacidin and lankamycin, and their biosynthesis is tightly controlled by butenolide-type signaling molecules SRB1 and SRB2. SRBs are synthesized by SRB synthase SrrX, and induce lankacidin and lankamycin production at 40 nM concentration. We here investigated the role of a P450 monooxygenase gene <i>srrO</i> (<i>orf84</i>), which is located adjacent to <i>srrX</i> (<i>orf85</i>), in SRB biosynthesis. An <i>srrO</i> mutant KA54 accumulated lankacidin and lankamycin at a normal level when compared with the parent strain. To elucidate the chemical structures of the signaling molecules accumulated in KA54 (termed as KA54-SRBs), this mutant was cultured (30 L) and the active components were purified. Two active components (KA54-SRB1 and KA54-SRB2) were detected in ESI-MS and chiral HPLC analysis. The molecular formulae for KA54-SRB1 and KA54-SRB2 are C₁₅H₂₆O₄ and C₁₆H₂₈O₄, whose values are one oxygen smaller and two hydrogen larger when compared with those for SRB1 and SRB2, respectively. Based on extensive NMR analysis, the signaling molecules in KA54 were determined to be 6′-deoxo-SRB1 and 6′-deoxo-SRB2. Gel shift analysis indicated that a ligand affinity of 6′-deoxo-SRB1 to the specific receptor SrrA was 100-fold less than that of SRB1. We performed bioconversion of the synthetic 6′-deoxo-SRB1 in the <i>Streptomyces lividans</i> recombinant carrying SrrO-expression plasmid. Substrate 6′-deoxo-SRB1 was converted through 6′-deoxo-6′-hydroxy-SRB1 to SRB1 in a time-dependent manner. Thus, these results clearly indicated that SrrO catalyzes the C-6′ oxidation at a final step in SRB biosynthesis.