Activation of Silent Gene Clusters in Streptomyces

Streptomyces is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, an important attribute of Streptomyces is its ability to produce secondary metabolites with different bioactive properties including antibacterial compounds. Whole genomic sequencing has identified silent gene clusters encoding for secondary metabolites of unknown biological activity. The goal of this research is to explore a method of activation of silent gene clusters, through tying secondary metabolite synthesis to primary metabolite production and thus necessary for growth and development.