title: Cloning and characterization of the Bacillus subtilis birA gene encoding a repressor of the biotin operon.
abstract: The Bacillus subtilis birA gene, which regulates biotin biosynthesis, has been cloned and characterized. The birA gene maps at 202 degrees on the B. subtilis chromosome and encodes a 36,200-Da protein that is 27% identical to Escherichia coli BirA protein. Three independent mutations in birA that lead to deregulation of biotin synthesis alter single amino acids in the amino-terminal end of the protein. The amino-terminal region that is affected by these three birA mutations shows sequence similarity to the helix-turn-helix DNA binding motif previously identified in E. coli BirA protein. B. subtilis BirA protein also possesses biotin-protein ligase activity, as judged by its ability to complement a conditional lethal birA mutant of E. coli.
authors.affiliation: OmniGene, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-9002, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Yocum
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serror
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorokin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rahaim
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Howitt
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ehrlich
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pero
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001710:Biotin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019731:Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D001710:Biotin; D019731:Carbon-Nitrogen Ligases; C058125:birA protein, E coli