Exchange of precursor-specific elements between Pro-sigma E and Pro-sigma K of Bacillus subtilis.
sigma E and sigma K are sporulation-specific sigma factors of Bacillus subtilis that are synthesized as inactive proproteins. Pro-sigma E and pro-sigma K are activated by the removal of 27 and 20 amino acids, respectively, from their amino termini. To explore the properties of the precursor-specific sequences, we exchanged the coding elements for these domains in the sigma E and sigma K structural genes and determined the properties of the resulting chimeric proteins in B. subtilis. The pro-sigma E-sigma K chimera accumulated and was cleaved into active sigma K, while the pro-sigma K-sigma E fusion protein failed to accumulate and is likely unstable in B. subtilis. A fusion of the sigE "pro" sequence to an unrelated protein (bovine rhodanese) also formed a protein that was cleaved by the pro-sigma E processing apparatus. The data suggest that the sigma E pro sequence contains sufficient information for pro-sigma E processing as well as a unique quality needed for sigma E accumulation.
Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284, USA.
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000502:physiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D013884:Thiosulfate Sulfurtransferase / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011498:Protein Precursors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C084190:sigma K; C063202:sporulation-specific sigma factors; D013884:Thiosulfate Sulfurtransferase