SynBio, Volume 1, Issue 3 (December 2023) – 3 articles

Actinobacteria from the genus Streptomyces feature complex primary and secondary metabolism, developmental cycle, and ability to produce a variety of natural products. These soil bacteria are major producers of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds and have been extensively investigated due to the medical and industrial relevance of Streptomyces-derived secondary metabolites. However, the genetic toolbox for Streptomyces engineering as well as yield optimization strategies for the production of relevant metabolites are limited. On the one hand, the genetic potential of these organisms has not been fully utilized due to many “silent” or poorly expressed biosynthetic gene clusters, whose activation depends on environmental stimuli and nutrient availability. On the other hand, these GC-rich Gram-positive bacteria are difficult to manipulate, and traditional genetic manipulation strategies are time-consuming and have low efficiency. Recent studies of Streptomyces metabolism and genomes provided new insights into possibilities to overcome these challenges. In this review, advances and approaches for Streptomyces manipulations and secondary metabolite production optimization are discussed. Special focus is given to understanding the interplay between primary and secondary metabolism in Streptomyces and the supply of nitrogen-containing compounds into secondary metabolism. Existing strategies to manipulate cellular metabolism in Streptomyces are reviewed. Full article

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that play a fundamental role in the regulation of gene expression in humans. There has been a growing interest in investigating the interactions between human miRNAs and viruses to better understand the underlying mechanisms of the immune response and viral pathogenesis. The Ilheus virus, an arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes, is known to cause disease in humans, with symptoms ranging from mild fever to severe neurological complications. This scientific article aims to explore the potential role of human miRNAs in their association with the genome of the Ilheus virus. Previous research has indicated that miRNAs can affect viral replication and the host’s immune response, playing a critical role in modulating the virus–host interaction. Here, we will investigate the possible interactions between specific human miRNAs and regions of the Ilheus virus genome, focusing on identifying miRNAs that may impact viral replication or the host’s immune response. A search for potential human miRNAs associated with the viral genome of ILHV was conducted through database searches such as miRBase. For the elucidation of targets regulated by these miRNAs, the TargetScan program was adopted. Functional enrichment analysis, inferring the function of genes regulated by miRNAs, was provided by the DAVID software. To elucidate the secondary structure, tools hosted in the RNAFold repositories were employed. In summary, our research has identified miRNAs linked to crucial sections of the Ilheus virus genome. These miRNAs can potentially regulate genes associated with neurological and immune functions. This highlights the intricate interplay between human miRNAs and the Ilheus virus genome, suggesting a pivotal role for these molecules in the host’s response to viral infections. Full article