title: A gene (prsA) of Bacillus subtilis involved in a novel, late stage of protein export.
abstract: A gene locus of Bacillus subtilis identified by mutations (prs) conferring a defect in protein secretion was cloned from a lambdaGEM-11 expression library. The sites of three closely linked prs mutations (prs-3, prs-29 and prs-40) were found to reside in a 5.3 kb DNA fragment, which also complemented the secretion defect in prs-3 and prs-29 mutants. Partial sequencing of the fragment showed that these three mutations affect one distinct gene (prsA) encoding a putative protein of 292 amino acids (33 kDa). Sequence analysis indicated the PrsA protein to be a lipoprotein located outside the cytoplasmic membrane. Thirty percent identity was shown to the PrtM protein of Lactococcus lactis, which is involved in the maturation of an exported proteinase. The phenotypes of prsA mutants and the structural similarity of PrsA with PrtM suggest that PrsA may have a novel function at a late phase in protein export.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Unit, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Kontinen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarvas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010731:Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D010731:Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System; C030182:phosphocarrier protein HPr; D000516:alpha-Amylases