A metalloprotease gene from Streptomyces coelicolor 'Müller' and its transcriptional activator, a member of the LysR family.

A metalloprotease gene (mprA) and its regulatory gene (mprR) from Streptomyces coelicolor 'Müller' DSM3030 were isolated and their DNA sequences determined. The protease secreted by the heterologous host Streptomyces lividans was characterized biochemically as a metalloprotease with a M(r) of 20,000, which is in good agreement with data derived from DNA sequence analysis. The mprA gene is transcribed divergently from mprR, the deduced protein of which displays homology to prokaryotic transcriptional regulators of the LysR family. The regulatory protein (MprR) was shown to bind to the intergenic region between mprR and mprA. It was found to activate transcription of mprA in S. lividans and also in Escherichia coli.