The present disclosure includes genetically engineered, non-pathogenic Streptomyces bacterium with exogenous, non-native Thaxtomin A (ThxA) biosynthetic gene clusters conferring the genetically engineered, non-pathogenic Streptomyces bacterium with the ability to produce thaxtomin A. Also included are methods of providing thaxtomin producing capability in non-native Streptomyces bacterial strains, methods of producing thaxtomin compounds with the genetically engineered Streptomyces bacteria of the present disclosure, and methods of producing thaxtomin compounds and nitro-tryptophan analogs, and fluorinated thaxtomin compounds, analogs, and intermediates with the genetically engineered Streptomyces bacteria of the present disclosure.