Genome Mining in Streptomyces coelicolor Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a New Sesquiterpene Synthase.

The article describes the molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of a second Streptomyces coelicolor terpene synthase, SCO5222, that is shown to catalyze the Mg2+-dependent cyclization of farnesyl disphosphate to a novel sesquiterpene, epiisozizaene. The 361 amino acid SCO5222 protein has 23.8 percent amino acid sequence identity and 51.1 percent similarity over 311 aa with the 336-aa pentalenene synthase of Streptomyces UC5319. The protein encoded SCO5222 includes the two universally conserved Mg2+-binding domains.