A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host

Abstract Background Engineers seeking to generate natural product analogs through altering modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) face significant challenges when genomically editing large stretches of DNA. Results We describe a CRISPR-Cas9 system that was employed to reprogram the PKS in Streptomyces...

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Main Authors: Zhe-Chong Wang, Hayden Stegall, Takeshi Miyazawa, Adrian T. Keatinge-Clay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Microbial Cell Factories
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-025-02741-w
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author Zhe-Chong Wang
Hayden Stegall
Takeshi Miyazawa
Adrian T. Keatinge-Clay
author_facet Zhe-Chong Wang
Hayden Stegall
Takeshi Miyazawa
Adrian T. Keatinge-Clay
author_sort Zhe-Chong Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Engineers seeking to generate natural product analogs through altering modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) face significant challenges when genomically editing large stretches of DNA. Results We describe a CRISPR-Cas9 system that was employed to reprogram the PKS in Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439 that helps biosynthesize the macrolide antibiotic pikromycin. We first demonstrate its precise editing ability by generating strains that lack megasynthase genes pikAI-pikAIV or the entire pikromycin biosynthetic gene cluster but produce pikromycin upon complementation. We then employ it to replace 4.4-kb modules in the pikromycin synthase with those of other synthases to yield two new macrolide antibiotics with activities similar to pikromycin. Conclusion Our gene-editing tool has enabled the efficient replacement of extensive and repetitive DNA regions within streptomycetes.
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issn 1475-2859
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
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series Microbial Cell Factories
spelling doaj-art-fd18d2fc9f0b4611a2eedc19606755f22025-08-20T03:22:27ZengBMCMicrobial Cell Factories1475-28592025-05-0124111610.1186/s12934-025-02741-wA CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native hostZhe-Chong Wang0Hayden Stegall1Takeshi Miyazawa2Adrian T. Keatinge-Clay3Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at AustinAbstract Background Engineers seeking to generate natural product analogs through altering modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) face significant challenges when genomically editing large stretches of DNA. Results We describe a CRISPR-Cas9 system that was employed to reprogram the PKS in Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439 that helps biosynthesize the macrolide antibiotic pikromycin. We first demonstrate its precise editing ability by generating strains that lack megasynthase genes pikAI-pikAIV or the entire pikromycin biosynthetic gene cluster but produce pikromycin upon complementation. We then employ it to replace 4.4-kb modules in the pikromycin synthase with those of other synthases to yield two new macrolide antibiotics with activities similar to pikromycin. Conclusion Our gene-editing tool has enabled the efficient replacement of extensive and repetitive DNA regions within streptomycetes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-025-02741-wPikromycinType I PKSsCRISPR/Cas9RiboswitchUpdated module boundaryModule-swapping
spellingShingle Zhe-Chong Wang
Hayden Stegall
Takeshi Miyazawa
Adrian T. Keatinge-Clay
A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
Microbial Cell Factories
Pikromycin
Type I PKSs
CRISPR/Cas9
Riboswitch
Updated module boundary
Module-swapping
title A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
title_full A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
title_fullStr A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
title_full_unstemmed A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
title_short A CRISPR-Cas9 system for knock-out and knock-in of high molecular weight DNA enables module-swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
title_sort crispr cas9 system for knock out and knock in of high molecular weight dna enables module swapping of the pikromycin synthase in its native host
topic Pikromycin
Type I PKSs
CRISPR/Cas9
Riboswitch
Updated module boundary
Module-swapping
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-025-02741-w
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