An open reading frame, designated GerGTII and located downstream of the polyketide synthase genes, has been identified as a chalcosyltransferase by sequence analysis in the dihydrochalcomycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces sp. KCTC 0041BP. The deduced product of gerGTII is similar to several glycosyltransferases, authentic and putative, and it displays a consensus sequence motif that appears to be characteristic of a sub-group of these enzymes. Specific disruption of gerGTII within the S. sp. KCTC 0041BP genome by insertional in-frame deletion method, resulted complete abolishment of dihydrochalcomycin and got the 20-O-mycinosyl-dihydrochalconolide as intermediate product in dihydrochalcomycin biosynthesis which was confirmed by electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Dihydrochalcomycin also was recovered after complementation of gerGTII.

Keywords: Dihydrochalcomycin, gene disruption, glycosyltransferase, macrolide, streptomyces