Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
8-2015
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Bert C. Lampson
Committee Members
Eric L. Mustain, Christopher L. Pritchett, Abbas G. Shilabin
Abstract
Rhodococcus is a soil bacterium, member of the Actinobacteria, and a close relative of the prolific small molecule producer Streptomyces. Recent interest in Rhodococcus as an under investigated source of possible bioactive secondary metabolites is sparked by the discovery of many polyketide synthase and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes of unknown function from sequenced Rhodococcus genomes. Rhodococcus species strain MTM3W5.2 was recently shown to produce a strong inhibitory compound with activity against most strains of Rhodococcus and closely related genera. A goal of this investigation is to discover the gene(s) required to synthesize this inhibitory molecule. The engineered Rhodococcus transposon, pTNR, was used to generate random insertional mutations in the genome of MTM3W5.2. The transposon insertion sites for 8 non-producing mutants were cloned and sequenced. Genes that encode polyketide synthases usually form parts of large biosynthetic gene clusters responsible for the production of small polyketide molecules.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Ward, Amber L., "Identification of Genes Required to Synthesize an Antibiotic-like Compound from the Soil Bacterium Rhodococcus sp. MTM3W5.2" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2558. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2558
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.