Data from: Mining for NRPS and PKS genes revealed a high diversity in the Sphagnum bog metagenome

Sphagnum bog ecosystems are among the oldest vegetation forms harboring a
specific microbial community and are known to produce an exceptionally
wide variety of bioactive substances. Although the Sphagnum metagenome
shows a rich secondary metabolism, the genes have not yet been explored.
To analyze nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) and polyketide
synthases (PKSs), the diversity of NRPS and PKS genes in
Sphagnum-associated metagenomes was investigated by in silico data mining
and sequence-based screening (PCR amplification of 9,500 fosmid clones).
The in silico Illumina-based metagenomic approach resulted in the
identification of 279 NRPSs and 346 PKSs, as well as 40 PKS-NRPS hybrid
gene sequences. The occurrence of NRPS sequences was strongly dominated by
the members of the Protebacteria phylum, especially by species of the
Burkholderia genus, while PKS sequences were mainly affiliated with
Actinobacteria. Thirteen novel NRPS-related sequences were identified by
PCR amplification screening, displaying amino acid identities of 48% to
91% to annotated sequences of members of the phyla Proteobacteria,
Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Some of the identified metagenomic
clones showed the closest similarity to peptide synthases from
Burkholderia or Lysobacter, which are emerging bacterial sources of
as-yet-undescribed bioactive metabolites. This report highlights the role
of the extreme natural ecosystems as a promising source for detection of
secondary compounds and enzymes, serving as a source for biotechnological
applications.