Systematic analysis on transcription unit architecture of Streptomyces lividans TK24

Streptomyces lividans is an attractive host for heterologous protein production, as well as secondary metabolites of other Streptomyces species. To elevate the potential of Streptomyces lividans as the production host, understanding on the endogenous metabolism and its genetic regulatory elements is essential. However, most genetic studies have been conducted for the genetically close model organism Streptomyces coelicolor and the genetic regulation of Streptomyces lividans was often inferred from the findings in Streptomyces coelicolor. In this study, we exploited four types of Next-Generation Sequencing techniques to determine the transcription units (TU) and elucidate diverse regulatory elements, including promoters, ribosome binding sites, and transcription terminators. Total 1,978 transcription start sites and 1,640 transcript 3'-end positions were identified and 1,300 TUs were determined in accordance with transcriptome profile. The conserved promoter was found as 5?-TANNNT and 5'-TGAC for the -10 and -35 elements, respectively. In addition, identification of transcription start sites revealed ribosome binding sites, important for translational control of gene expression. The transcript 3'-end information revealed a distinct sequence element mediating transcription termination. The TU information and regulatory elements identified from multi-omics approaches will serve as invaluable resources for understanding the complex regulatory mechanisms and elevate the industrial potential of Streptomyces lividans.