THE SMALL PROTEIN TRPM MODULATES MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION IN THE MODEL ACTINOMYCETE STREPTOMYCES COELICOLOR A3(2)

BACKGROUNDS TrpM, a small protein of 63 amino acids, modulates tryptophan (Trp) metabolism and morpho-physiological differentiation in the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), a model organism for antibiotic production and cell differentiation. Indeed, the trpM knock-out mutant strain is characterized by a delayed growth on minimal medium, smaller aerial hyphae, and reduction of both spore and antibiotic actinorhodin production in comparison with the wild-type strain. These observations were in agreement with proteomic analyses which highlighted a role for TrpM in controlling i) Trp production through Trp precursor availability and, thus ii) bacterial growth and morpho-physi…