CLONING AND HETEROLOGOUS EXPRESSION OF THE GENES ENCODING NONSPECIFIC ELECTRON-TRANSPORT COMPONENTS FOR A CYTOCHROME-P450 SYSTEM OF SACCHAROPOLYSPORA-ERYTHRAEA INVOLVED IN ERYTHROMYCIN PRODUCTION

The for A gene encoding a protein that can function as a NADH:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (For) has been cloned from Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the erythromycin A (ErA) producer. In a previous study For protein, together with the FdxA ferredoxin from the same organism, was shown to be able to reconstitute the cytochrome P450 system responsible for the hydroxylation of 6-deoxyerythronolide B, an intermediate of ErA biosynthesis. Nucleotide sequence data suggest that the cloned for A gene codes for For, the putative pyruvate dehydrogenase component, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase, or its close homolog. Overexpression of for A appeared to be toxic to Escherichia coli.