Isolation and Characterization of the Gene Cluster for Biosynthesis of the Thiopeptide Antibiotic TP-1161

Recently, we isolated a new thiopeptide antibiotic, TP-1161, from the fermentation broth of a marine actinomycete typed as a member of the genus Nocardiopsis. Here we report the identification, isolation, and analysis of the TP-1161 biosynthetic gene cluster from this species. The gene cluster was identified by mining a draft genome sequence using the predicted structural peptide sequence of TP-1161. Functional assignment of a similar to 16-kb genomic region revealed 13 open reading frames proposed to constitute the TP-1161 biosynthetic locus. While the typical core set of thiopeptide modification enzymes contains one cyclodehydratase/dehydrogenase pair, paralogous genes predicted to encode additional cyclodehydratases and dehydrogenases were identified. Although attempts at heterologous expression of the TP-1161 gene cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor failed, its identity was confirmed through the targeted gene inactivation in the original host.