Cloning and expression of a gene encoding N-glycosyltransferase (ngt) from Saccarothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC39243

In the course of our bioconversion studies on the derivatives of an indolocarbazole, J-104303, Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC39243 was found to convert J-104303, which was added into the culture medium, to its glycosylated derivative, J-109384. In order to clone the gene having the ability to convert J-104303 to J-109384, a library of Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC39243 DNA fragments was constructed using Streptomyces lividans TK21 and pIJ702 as host strain and vector, respectively. By examining more than 5,000 transformants, one was found to convert J-104303 to J-109384. Sequence analysis of the inserted DNA fragment revealed an open reading frame with 1,245 base pairs, named ngt. The transformant containing this ngt gene was also found to introduce a D-glucose moiety into 6-N-methylarcyriaflavin C. Furthermore, when ngt was introduced into Streptomyces mobaraensis BA13793, a producer of J-104303, the resulting transformant produced J-109384 directly.