Mycothiol maintains the homeostasis and signalling of nitric oxide in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) M145

Background Previous studies have revealed a nitric oxide (NO) metabolic cycle in which NO, nitrate (NO_3^−), and nitrite (NO_2^−) circulate.

The NO produced in this cycle serves as a signalling molecule that regulates actinorhodin (ACT) production via the DevS/DevR NO-dependent two-component system (TCS) in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) M145.

However, the mechanisms involved in the regulation of NO signalling in S. coelicolor have not yet been elucidated.

Mycothiol (MSH), a thiol molecule produced by Actinomyces , is involved in the defence mechanisms against oxidative stress.

Therefore, this study focused on the correlation between intracellular NO and MSH levels.

Results To investigate the interaction of MSH with endogenously produced NO, we generated an S. coelicolor A3(2) strain deficient in MSH biosynthesis.

This mutant strain exhibited a decrease in low-molecular-weight S-nitrosothiols and intracellular NO levels during culture compared to those of the wild-type strain.

Moreover, the mutant strain exhibited reduced activity of the DevS/DevR TCS, a regulator of NO homeostasis and ACT production, from the early stage of culture, along with a decrease in ACT production compared to those of the wild-type strain.

Conclusions This study suggests that MSH maintains intracellular NO homeostasis by forming S-nitrosomycothiol, which induces NO signalling.

Finally, we propose a metabolic model in which MSH from endogenously produced NO facilitates the maintenance of both NO homeostasis and signalling in S. coelicolor A3(2) M145.