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Title: A NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE IN STREPTOMYCES TURGIDISCABIES AFFECTS THAXTOMIN BIOSYNTHESIS

Author
item WACH, M - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item Gibson, Donna
item LORIA, R - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2002
Publication Date: 8/18/2002
Citation: WACH, M., GIBSON, D.M., LORIA, R. A NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE IN STREPTOMYCES TURGIDISCABIES AFFECTS THAXTOMIN BIOSYNTHESIS. AMERICAN PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING. 2002.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We have identified a gene, strNOS, in the plant pathogen Streptomyces turgidiscabies, homologous to nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) from Bacillus halodurans and iNOSOX, an inducible murine NOS. strNOS is conserved among plant pathogenic streptomycetes and is on a mobilizable pathogenicity island, upstream of a peptide synthetase which produces thaxtomin A and related congeners (cyclo (L 4 nitrotryptophyl L phenylalanyl)). Eukaryotic NOSs produce active nitrogen species involved in cell signaling and host defense. NOS genes have been identified in Gram positive bacteria, but the function of these genes is unknown. To determine if strNOS is involved in thaxtomin biosynthesis, i.e., through the nitration of thaxtomin precursors, we evaluated the effects of several characterized NOS inhibitors on thaxtomin A production by S. turgidiscabies and other pathogenic species. NOS inhibitors had no effect on bacterial growth but reduced thaxtomin production, indicating a role for strNOS in thaxtomin biosynthesis.