The Biosynthetic gene cluster for the antitumor rebeccamycin: Characterization and generation of indolocarbazole derivatives

César Sánchez, Igor A. Butovich, Alfredo F. Braña, Jürgen Rohr, Carmen Méndez, José A. Salas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

196 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rebeccamycin, a halogenated natural product of the indolocarbazole family, is produced by Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC39243. Several rebeccamycin analogues, which target DNA topoisomerase I or II, have already entered clinical trials as anticancer drugs. Using as a probe an internal fragment of ngt, a Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes gene encoding an indolocarbazole N-glycosyltransferase, we isolated a DNA region that directed the biosynthesis of rebeccamycin when introduced into Streptomyces albus. Sequence analysis of 25.6 kb revealed genes for indolocarbazole core formation, halogenation, glycosylation, and sugar methylation, as well as a regulatory gene and two resistance/secretion genes. Heterologous expression of subsets of these genes resulted in production of deschloro-rebeccamycin, 4′-demethyldeschloro-rebeccamycin, and deschloro-rebeccamycin aglycone. The cloned genes should help to elucidate the molecular basis for indolocarbazole biosynthesis and set the stage for the generation of novel indolocarbazole analogues by genetic engineering.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)519-531
Number of pages13
JournalChemistry and Biology
Volume9
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2002

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology
  • Drug Discovery
  • Clinical Biochemistry

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