Elucidation of the molecular basis of biocatalysis formation based on the organocatalysis of actinorhodin

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18159
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied microbiology; Bioorganic chemistry
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: NISHIYAMA Tatsuya 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 助手 (10759541)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: actinorhodin / organocatalysts / streptomyces / antibiotics / oxidase

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The actinorhodin produced by Streptomyces coelicolor is an organocatalyst. However its physiological functions are unknown. The organocatalyst is catalysis which is a low molecular mass compound without metal ions. Therefore, we focused on proteins that are suggested to bind to this compound and aimed to elucidate the physiological functions of organic catalysts. In this study we succeeded the purification of this protein, and detected the gene which was one of the actinorhodin gene cluster. Subsequently, we cloned the gene and succeeded in observing binding quantitatively by surface plasmon resonance.
In addition, we screened other organocatalysts and found that granaticin is also an organocatalyst.

Free Research Field

応用微生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで微生物から見つかっている有機触媒はACTのみであったが、過去の我々の研究から天然にはACT以外にも有機触媒が存在している可能性が強く示唆されていた。本研究では、自然界の菌から新たな有機触媒の探索に成功し、この予想が正しいことを証明した。ACTや新たな有機触媒グラナチシンは抗生物質として発見された化合物である。すなわち、本研究の成果はこれまで抗生物質としての視点で注目されてきた二次代謝産物を、有機触媒という新たな視点から評価し直し新たな価値を見いだすものであり、近年では困難になりつつある微生物資源の再発掘につながると期待できる。