Association of lanthipeptide genes with TnpA REP transposases in marine picocyanobacteria

We present evidence for an unusual association between prochlorosin genes with a single-stranded DNA transposase belonging to the TnpA family. The genes co-occur and co-localize across the phylogeny of marine picocyanobacteria forming a distinct association pattern within genomes, most likely resulting from the transposase activity. Given the role of TnpA homologs in other bacteria, we propose - based on genomic structures - that they contribute to the creation of the prochlorosin structural diversity through a diversifying recombination mechanism.