Overproduction of Streptomyces griseus protease A and B induces morphological changes in Streptomyces lividans

The sprA and sprB gene encoding chymotrypsin-like proteases Streptomyces griseus protease A (SGPA) and Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB) and the sprT gene that encodes Streptomyces griseus trypsin (SGT) were cloned from Streptomyces griseus ATCC10137 and overexpressed in Streptomyces lividans TK24 as a heterologous host. The chymotrypsin activity of tole culture broth measured with the artificial chromogenic substrate , N-succinyl-ala-ala-pro-phe-p-nitroanilide, was 10, 14 and 14 units/mg in the transformants haboring the sprA, sprB and sprD genes, respectively. The growth of S. lividans reached the maximum cell mass after 4 days of culture, yet SGPA and SGPD production started in the stationary phase of cell growth and kept increasing for up to 10 days of culture in an R2YE medium. The trypsin activity of the culture broth measured with the artificial chromogenic substrate , N--benzoyl-DL- arginine-p-nitroanilide , was 16 units/mg and SGT production started in the stationary phase of cell growth and kept increasing for up to 10 days of culture in an R2YE medium. The introduction of the sprA gene into S, lividans TK24 triggered the biosynthesis of pigmented antibiotics, actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin, and induced significant morphological changes in the colonies in Benedict, R2YE, and R1R2 media. In addition, the introduction of the sprT gene also induced morphological changes in the colony shape without affecting the antibiotic production, thereby implying that certain proteases would appear to play very important and specific roles in secondary-metabolites formation and morphological differentiation in Streptomyces.