HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kuwana, R. Articles by Watabe, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kuwana, R. Articles by Watabe, K. Agricola Articles by Kuwana, R. Articles by Watabe, K.

Functional relationship between SpoVIF and GerE in gene regulation during sporulation of Bacillus subtilis

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan

Correspondence
Kazuhito Watabe
watabe{at}pharm.setsunan.ac.jp

The sporulation-specific SpoVIF (YjcC) protein of Bacillus subtilis is essential for the development of heat-resistant spores. The GerE protein, the smallest member of the LuxR-FixJ family, contains a helix–turn–helix (HTH) motif and is involved in the expression of various sporulation-specific genes. In this study, the gene expression and protein composition of sporulating spoVIF-negative cells were analysed. CgeA, CotG and CotS, which are GerE-dependent coat proteins, were not expressed in the spoVIF-negative cells. Northern blotting showed that SpoVIF regulated the transcription of cgeA, cotG and cotS in a manner similar to that of GerE. In spoVIF-negative cells, gerE mRNA was transcribed normally, but immunoblot analysis using anti-GerE antiserum showed that the quantity of GerE protein was considerably less than that in wild-type controls. Using GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion proteins, the localization of SpoVIF and GerE was observed by fluorescence microscopy. SpoVIF-GFP was detectable in the mother cell compartment, as was GerE-GFP. These results suggest that SpoVIF directly or indirectly controls the function of the GerE protein, and that SpoVIF is required for gene regulation during the latter stages of sporulation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Takamatsu, D. Imamura, R. Kuwana, and K. Watabe Expression of yeeK during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation and Localization of YeeK to the Inner Spore Coat using Fluorescence Microscopy J. Bacteriol., February 15, 2009; 191(4): 1220 - 1229. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Kuwana, H. Takamatsu, and K. Watabe Expression, Localization and Modification of YxeE Spore Coat Protein in Bacillus subtilis J. Biochem., December 1, 2007; 142(6): 681 - 689. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. W. Serio, K. B. Pechter, and A. L. Sonenshein Bacillus subtilis Aconitase Is Required for Efficient Late-Sporulation Gene Expression. J. Bacteriol., September 1, 2006; 188(17): 6396 - 6405. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Kuwana, N. Okuda, H. Takamatsu, and K. Watabe Modification of GerQ Reveals a Functional Relationship between Tgl and YabG in the Coat of Bacillus subtilis Spores. J. Biochem., May 1, 2006; 139(5): 887 - 901. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. W. Hilbert and P. J. Piggot Compartmentalization of Gene Expression during Bacillus subtilis Spore Formation Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., June 1, 2004; 68(2): 234 - 262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]