Complete genome sequence of the actinomycete type strain HPA 177 isolated from a marine sponge.

HPA 177 is a Gram-positive, strictly aerobic, black pigment producing and spore-forming actinomycete, which forms branching vegetative hyphae and was isolated from the marine sponge . Actinomycete bacteria are prolific producers of secondary metabolites, some of which have been developed into anti-microbial, anti-tumor and immunosuppressive drugs currently used in human therapy. Considering this and the growing interest in natural products as sources of new drugs, actinomycete bacteria from the hitherto poorly explored marine environments may represent promising sources for drug discovery. As , isolated from the marine sponge, is a type strain of the recently described and rare genus , knowledge of the complete genome sequence enables genome analyses to identify genetic loci for novel bioactive compounds. This project, describing the 6.31 Mbp long chromosome, with its 5346 protein-coding and 73 RNA genes, will aid the project.