Using a combined approach of molecular microbiology, genomic mining and phylogenomics to discover and activate cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters in S

Actinobacteria are a type of soil bacteria and are a rich source of novel antimicrobials. Streptomyces is the largest group of bacteria in Actinobacteria and possess a number of discovered, undiscovered and putative cryptic gene clusters. Advances in deep sequencing technology, molecular cloning techniques and data mining has allowed the prediction of novel gene pathways through analysis and manipulation of regulatory factors in biosynthetic operons. This project will utilise a combined approach to target various soils to recover intact biosynthetic gene clusters and stimulate the expression of their cryptic products. Such processes will hopefully result in the discovery of novel natural compounds such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs.