Identification of a gene, spoIIR, that links the activation of sigma E to the transcriptional activity of sigma F during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.
Sporulation of Bacillus subtilis requires the coordinated expression of two separate developmental programs in the mother cell and forespore compartments by sigma E and sigma F, respectively. This coordination is maintained through the action of cross-regulatory factors that control the activities of the various sporulation-specific sigma factors. We present here the isolation and characterization of one such cross-regulatory factor, the spoIIR gene. Using a genetic screen, we have isolated four mutant alleles of spoIIR. These mutants were isolated as expressing sigma F-directed genes but not sigma E-directed genes. The block in sigma E-directed gene expression in spoIIR mutants was caused by an inability to process pro-sigma E to its active form. Cloning and characterization of the spoIIR gene determined that its transcription is directed by sigma F. Thus, SpoIIR is required for linking the activation of sigma E to the activation of sigma F and coordinating the initiation of the two developmental programs required to form a spore.
Karow
M L
ML
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19140.
Glaser
P
P
Piggot
P J
PJ
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018244:Chromosomes, Artificial, Yeast; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C064971:FliA protein, Bacteria; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092468:spoIIR protein, Bacillus subtilis; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus; C063202:sporulation-specific sigma factors