title: The citrulline biosynthetic operon, argC-F, and a ribose transport operon, rbs, from Bacillus subtilis are negatively regulated by Spo0A.
abstract: A method is described here that can be used to identify operons whose expression is controlled by any particular regulator protein. This method was used to identify operons whose expression is negatively regulated by Spo0A in Bacillus subtilis. Twenty-eight strains were identified, each of which contains an operon-lacZ transcriptional fusion, negatively regulated, either directly or indirectly, by Spo0A. In one of these strains (CSA8), the lacZ gene is fused to the argC-F operon positioned at 100 degrees on the B. subtilis chromosome. The regulated expression of this operon by Spo0A-P is mediated indirectly through the transition state regulator AbrB and is manifest only during growth on solid medium. In a second strain (CSA15), the lacZ gene is fused to an operon encoding a transport system which displays features characteristic of the ABC group of transporters, and which has a very high level of identity to the ribose transport system from Escherichia coli. Expression of the ribose transport operon is directed by a single SigA-type promoter. Transcription from this promoter is repressed by the phosphorylated form of Spo0A during the late-exponential/transition phase of the growth cycle and this control is not mediated through the transition-state regulator, AbrB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woodson
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Dowds
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Devine
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000235:genetics; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D002956:Citrulline / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics*; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012266:Ribose / Q000378:metabolism*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C080950:Spo0A protein, Bacillus subtilis; D014157:Transcription Factors; D002956:Citrulline; D012266:Ribose; D001120:Arginine; D001616:beta-Galactosidase