I-SceI endonuclease: a new tool for DNA repair studies and genetic manipulations in streptomycetes

Actinomycetes are Gram-positive bacteria with a complex life cycle. They produce many pharmaceutically relevant secondary metabolites, including antibiotics and anticancer drugs. However, there is a limited number of biotechnological applications available as opposed to genetic model organisms like Bacillus subtilis or Escherichia coli. We report here a system for the functional expression of a synthetic gene encoding the I-SceI homing endonuclease in several streptomycetes. Using the synthetic sce(a) gene, we were able to create controlled genomic DNA double-strand breaks. A mutagenesis system, based on the homing endonuclease I-SceI, has been developed to construct targeted, non-polar, unmarked gene mutations in Streptomyces sp. Tu6071. In addition, we have shown that homologous recombination is a major pathway in streptomycetes to repair an I-SceI-generated DNA double-strand break. This novel I-SceI-based tool will be useful in fundamental studies on the repair mechanism of DNA double-strand breaks and for a variety of biotechnological applications.