Genetic analysis of the actinomycin-producing determinants (plasmid) in Streptomyces parvulus using the protoplast fusion technique

Abstract

Doubly auxotrophic, actinomycin-producing and nonproducing strains of Streptomyces parvulus were crossed by protoplast fusion. A strong bias toward the act+ character was noted in all recombinant classes obtained. Analysis of four nutritional markers revealed that they are ordered on a circular linkage map as follows: ura-lys-met-rib-(ura). This sequence resulted in the lowest frequency (2.4-3.4%) of quadruple crossover (QCO) recombinants. Inclusion of the property of actinomycin production in this sequence resulted in a much more greater minimum frequency of QCO recombinants (3-4 times higher). Moreover, the location of the act character minimizing the QCO frequency varied from cross to cross despite the fact that fusion of the act- strains did not yield act+ recombinants. It is concluded that actinomycin synthesis is determined (or controlled) by an episomic factor(s).