Characterization of a gene conferring bialaphos resistance in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

A gene (bar) was identified adjacent to the hrdD sigma factor gene in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). The predicted bar product showed 32.2% and 30.4% identity to those of the pat and bar genes of the bialaphos (Bp) producers Streptomyces viridochromogenes and Streptomyces hygroscopicus, respectively; these genes encode phosphinothricin (PPT) N-acetyltransferases that function as enzymes in the Bp biosynthetic pathway and as resistance determinants. The S. coelicolor bar gene conferred high-level resistance to Bp when cloned in S. coelicolor on a high-copy-number vector. Enzymic assay showed that the S. coelicolor bar gene product inactivates PPT by transfer of acetyl groups from acetyl CoA. The S. coelicolor bar gene appears to be expressed from two promoters (p1 and p2) and is divergently transcribed with respect to hrdD. The downstream (barp2) transcript overlaps the hrdDp1 transcript and the upstream (barp1) transcript overlaps both the hrdDp1 and hrdDp2 transcripts. Inactivation of hrdD did not prevent transcription from either bar promoter, indicating that sigma hrdD is not essential for recognition of these sequences.