Cloning and identification of the Frigocyclinone biosynthetic gene cluster from strain NTK 97.

Frigocyclinone is a novel antibiotic with antibacterial and anticancer activities. It is produced by both Antarctica-derived NTK 97 and marine sponge-associated sp. M7_15. Here, we first report the biosynthetic gene cluster of frigocyclinone in the NTK 97. The frigocyclinone gene cluster spans a DNA region of 33-kb which consists of 30 open reading frames (ORFs), encoding minimal type II polyketide synthase, aromatase and cyclase, redox tailoring enzymes, sugar biosynthesis-related enzymes, C-glycosyltransferase, a resistance protein, and three regulatory proteins. Based on the bioinformatic analysis, a biosynthetic pathway for frigocyclinone was proposed. Second, to verify the cloned gene cluster, CRISPR-Cpf1 mediated gene disruption was conducted. Mutant with the disruption of beta-ketoacyl synthase encoding gene fully loses the ability of producing frigocyclinone, while inactivating the glycosyltransferase gene leads to the production of key intermediate of anti-MRSA anthraquinone tetrangomycin.