title: Analysis by fluorescence microscopy of the development of compartment-specific gene expression during sporulation of Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: The use of a fluorogenic substrate, 5-octanoylaminofluorescein-di-beta-D-galactopyranoside, for beta-galactosidase has made it possible to visualize enzyme activity in individual cells of sporulating populations of Bacillus subtilis by fluorescence microscopy. lacZ fusions to different sporulation-associated genes have been used to investigate the cell compartmentalization of gene expression during sporulation. A strain with a lacZ fusion to sspA, a gene which is transcribed by E-sigma G at a late stage of sporulation, displayed predominantly compartment-specific fluorescence. Expression of the early-expressed spoIIA locus, which includes the structural gene for sigma F, was seen not to be compartmentalized. Populations of strains with lacZ fusions to gpr and dacF, genes which are transcribed by E-sigma F at intermediate stages of sporulation, included some organisms showing uncompartmentalized fluorescence and others showing compartment-specific fluorescence; the proportion showing compartment-specific fluorescence increased in samples taken later in sporulation. Several possible explanations of the results obtained with gpr and dacF are considered. A plausible interpretation is that sigma F activity is initially not compartmentalized and becomes compartmentalized as sporulation progresses. The progression to compartmentalization does not require the activities of the sporulation-specific factor sigma E or sigma G but may require some product of sigma F activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bylund
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Piggot
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002451:Cell Compartmentation / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012808:Sigma Factor; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C064971:FliA protein, Bacteria; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; C082314:SspA protein, bacteria; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092468:spoIIR protein, Bacillus subtilis; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus; C063202:sporulation-specific sigma factors; D001616:beta-Galactosidase