Plasmid DNA in the erythromycin producing microorganism, Streptomyces erythreus NRRL 2338.

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
S. erythraeus NRRL 2338, the erythromycin-producing microorganism, contains extrachromosomal (plasmid) DNA. Four different plasmids, pSE1, pSE2, pSE4 and pSE6, present in the wild-type strain have characteristic mobilities on agarose gel electrophoresis, MW and restriction endonuclease digestion patterns. Treatment of the wild-type strain with ethidium bromide or acridine orange gave 2 variants, one that could not convert erythronolide B to 3 (.alpha.)-mycarosylerythronolide B and another that produced 2-3 times more erythromycin A than the parental strain. Although the plasmid DNA profile of these 2 variants is different from the wild-type strain, it is not possible to conclude that any of the structural genes for erythromycin biosynthesis are located on the plasmids of S. erythraeus NRRL 2338.