This invention is directed to nucleic acids which encode the proteins that
direct the synthesis of the orthosomycin everninomicin and to use of the
nucleic acids and proteins to produce compounds exhibiting antibiotic
activity based on the everninomycin structure. The DNA sequence for the
gene clusters responsible for encoding everninomicin biosynthetic genes,
which provide the machinery for producing everninomicin, are provided.
Thus, this invention provides the nucleic acid sequences needed to
synthesize novel everninomicin-related compounds based on everninomicin,
arising from modifications of the DNA sequence designed to change glycosyl
and modified orsellinic acid groups contained in everninomicin. A.
Micromonospora site-specific integrase gene is also provided, which can be
incorporated in a vector for integration into any actinomycete, and,
particularly into Monospora. Thus, the invention further provides methods
for introducing heterologous genes into an actinomycete chromosome using
this particular vector.
