SpoIIAB is an anti-sigma factor that binds to and inhibits transcription by regulatory protein sigma F from Bacillus subtilis.
The sigma F factor is a regulatory protein that is responsible for directing gene expression in the forespore compartment of developing cells of the spore-forming soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. The sigma F factor is encoded by the promoter-distal member of sporulation operon spoIIA, which consists of cistrons called spoIIAA, spoIIAB, and spoIIAC. Genetic evidence indicates that the activity of sigma F is negatively regulated by the product (SpoIIAB) of the spoIIAB cistron. We now report that SpoIIAB is capable of binding to sigma F and inhibiting its capacity to direct transcription by core RNA polymerase from the promoter for a forespore-expressed gene. SpoIIAB is an anti-sigma factor that may be directly involved in the compartmentalization of sigma F-directed gene expression.
Duncan
L
L
Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Losick
R
R
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D009876:Operon; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C064971:FliA protein, Bacteria; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092468:spoIIR protein, Bacillus subtilis; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus