Transcription from the complementary deoxyribonucleic acid strands of Bacillus subtilis during various stages of sporulation.
The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) pattern of log-phase and sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis has been analyzed by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-RNA hybrid studies with the complementary-strand fragments of DNA. Approximately 80% of the mRNA of log-phase and sporulating cells from stages I, III, and IV hybridizes with the heavy DNA fragments, and 20% hybridizes with the light DNA fragments. Hybrid competition studies indicated that there was either a greatly reduced rate of transcription or a turn-off of some log-phase genes during the sporulation stages. However, a significant amount of log-phase gene transcription occurred even at late stages of sporulation. Similar studies indicate a significantly increased rate of transcription or a turn-on of sporulation phase genes during the latter stages of sproulation. There is a sequential increase in the amount of sporulation-specific transcription from both complementary-strand fragments of DNA. These results indicate that the RNA polymerase population in sporulating cells can transcribe both log-phase and sporulation-phase genes.
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002845:Chromatography; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development*; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014316:Tritium; D014529:Uridine / Q000378:metabolism
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014316:Tritium; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D014529:Uridine