The invention provides nucleic acid molecules comprising all or a part of a daptomycin biosynthetic gene cluster. The daptomycin biosynthetic gene cluster may be derived from Streptomyces, preferably from S. roseosporus. The invention also provides other nucleic acid molecules from S. roseosporus. The invention further provides polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acid molecules, antibodies that specifically bind to the polypeptides, and methods of using the nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides and antibodies to produce daptomycin and other compounds.