The bacterial strain, IR-2T, was isolated from a microbial mat sampled near a hydrothermal vent in the Greenland Sea. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the 16S rRNA gene, showed that the closest relatives of IR-2T were Ilyobacter tartaricus, Ilyobacter insuetus, Propionigenium modestum and Fusobacterium varium (91 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The cells of the novel strain were Gram-stain-negative and pleomorphic; changing from long motile rods to non-motile ring structures during the growth cycle. Growth occurred at 20–55 °C (optimally at 48 °C), with 1–6 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally with 2 %), and at pH 5.3–8.0 (optimally at pH 6.0–8.0). The strain had obligate fermentative growth on various sugars and yeast extract. The DNA G+C content of strain IR-2T was 25.7 mol%. The cell sugars comprised mainly ribose, mannose and glucose, while the main polar lipids were glycolipids, phospholipids, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The fatty acid content of strain IR-2 was dominated by saturated and unsaturated iso-branched or anteiso-branched forms. Strain IR-2 represents a novel genus and species, for which the name Hypnocyclicus thermotrophus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IR-2T ( = DSM 100055 = JCM 30901).

Benzoxazole scaffolds feature prominently in diverse synthetic and natural product-derived pharmaceuticals. Our understanding of their bacterial biosynthesis is, however, limited to ortho-substituted heterocycles from actinomycetes. We report an overlooked biosynthetic pathway in anaerobic bacteria (typified in Clostridium cavendishii) that expands the benzoxazole chemical space to meta-substituted heterocycles and heralds a distribution beyond Actinobacteria. The first benzoxazoles from the anaerobic realm (closoxazole A and B) were elucidated by NMR and chemical synthesis. By genome editing in the native producer, heterologous expression in Escherichia coli, and systematic pathway dissection we show that closoxazole biosynthesis invokes an unprecedented precursor usage (3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoate) and manner of assembly. Synthetic utility was demonstrated by the precursor-directed biosynthesis of a tafamidis analogue. A bioinformatic survey reveals the pervasiveness of related gene clusters in diverse bacterial phyla.

Benzoxazole scaffolds feature prominently in diverse synthetic and natural product-derived pharmaceuticals. Our understanding of their bacterial biosynthesis is, however, limited to ortho-substituted heterocycles from actinomycetes. We report an overlooked biosynthetic pathway in anaerobic bacteria (typified in Clostridium cavendishii) that expands the benzoxazole chemical space to meta-substituted heterocycles and heralds a distribution beyond Actinobacteria. The first benzoxazoles from the anaerobic realm (closoxazole A and B) were elucidated by NMR and chemical synthesis. By genome editing in the native producer, heterologous expression in Escherichia coli, and systematic pathway dissection we show that closoxazole biosynthesis invokes an unprecedented precursor usage (3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoate) and manner of assembly. Synthetic utility was demonstrated by the precursor-directed biosynthesis of a tafamidis analogue. A bioinformatic survey reveals the pervasiveness of related gene clusters in diverse bacterial phyla.

Genomic analyses indicate that anaerobic bacteria represent a neglected source of natural products. Whereas a limited number of polyketides have been reported from anaerobes, products of type III polyketide synthases (PKSs) have remained unknown. We found a highly conserved biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) comprising genes putatively encoding a type III PKS and a methyltransferase in genomes of the Negativicutes, strictly anaerobic, diderm bacteria. By in vivo and in vitro expression of a type III PKS gene, dquA from the oak-associated Dendrosporobacter quercicolus in E. coli we show production of long-chain alkylpyrones. Intriguingly, this BGC is specific for sporulating Sporomusaceae but absent in related Negativicutes that do not sporulate, thus suggesting a physiological role.