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CRISPR-based Shuttle Cloning: A High-throughput Cloning Method
Published on: June 13, 2025
Characterization of plasmid pXL100 from Amycolatopsis orientalis HCCB10007 and construction of a shuttle vector
1College of Life Science, Nanjing Agriculture University, Nanjing, China; School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Many strains of Amycolatopsis, such as Amycolatopsis orientalis, A. balhimycina, and A. mediterranei, are important antibiotic producers. Three indigenous plasmids, pMEA100, pMEA300, and pA387, found in this genus have been sequenced. However, only some vectors based on pA387 have been widely applied in Amycolatopsis research. An indigenous plasmid, pXL100, was isolated from the vancomycin producer A. orientalis HCCB10007. Sequence analysis of pXL100 revealed its total length to be 33,499 bp and GC content to be 68.9%. A 2830-bp fragment containing three ORFs has been identified as essential for replication in A. orientalis, but it has no significant similarity to any known replicons. A vector, pLYZW7-3, was constructed based on the pXL100 replicon and could be transferred into A. mediterranei and A. orientalis by electroporation or conjugation with high frequency. A mutant with a disrupted gene was successfully complemented with the pLYZW7-3 vector, indicating that the vector is potentially useful in Amycolatopsis research.
Insights
Researchers developed a new plasmid vector, pLYZW7-3, for use in Amycolatopsis antibiotic production research. This novel vector, based on the pXL100 replicon, shows high transfer efficiency and successful gene complementation in Amycolatopsis strains.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Amycolatopsis species are significant producers of antibiotics.
- Existing vectors for Amycolatopsis research are limited, with few based on the pA387 plasmid.
- Development of new genetic tools is crucial for advancing research in this genus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize a novel indigenous plasmid, pXL100, from Amycolatopsis orientalis.
- To construct and evaluate a new expression vector, pLYZW7-3, based on the pXL100 replicon for use in Amycolatopsis.
- To assess the utility of the pLYZW7-3 vector for genetic manipulation and complementation studies in Amycolatopsis.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and sequencing of the indigenous plasmid pXL100 from Amycolatopsis orientalis HCCB10007.
- Identification of the minimal replication region within pXL100.
- Construction of the pLYZW7-3 vector utilizing the pXL100 replicon.
- Transformation of Amycolatopsis mediterranei and A. orientalis using electroporation and conjugation.
- Complementation of a gene-disrupted mutant using the pLYZW7-3 vector.
Main Results:
- The pXL100 plasmid has a size of 33,499 bp with a GC content of 68.9%.
- A 2830-bp fragment containing three ORFs was identified as essential for replication and showed no similarity to known replicons.
- The constructed vector, pLYZW7-3, demonstrated high-frequency transfer into A. mediterranei and A. orientalis via electroporation and conjugation.
- Successful complementation of a gene-disrupted mutant confirmed the vector's functionality.
Conclusions:
- The novel pXL100 plasmid provides a new, functional replicon for Amycolatopsis species.
- The pLYZW7-3 vector, derived from pXL100, is a promising tool for genetic engineering in Amycolatopsis.
- This vector facilitates gene disruption and complementation studies, advancing antibiotic production research in Amycolatopsis.

