Abstract
Gram-positive Streptomyces bacteria can produce valuable secondary metabolites. Streptomyces genomes include huge unknown silent natural product (NP) biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), making them a potential drug discovery repository. To collect antibiotic-producing bacteria from unexplored areas, we identified Streptomyces sp. CS-7 from mountain soil samples in Changsha, P.R. China, which showed strong antibacterial activity. Complete genome sequencing and prediction in silico revealed that its 8.4 Mbp genome contains a total of 36 BGCs for NPs. We purified two important antibiotics from this strain, which were structurally elucidated to be mayamycin and mayamycin B active against Staphylococcus aureus. We identified functionally a BGC for the biosynthesis of these two compounds by BGC direct cloning and heterologous expression in Streptomyces albus. The data here supported this Streptomyces species, especially from unexplored habitats, having a high potential for new NPs.