title: A complex four-gene operon containing essential cell division gene pbpB in Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: We have cloned and sequenced the promoter-proximal region of the Bacillus subtilis operon containing the pbpB gene, encoding essential penicillin-binding protein PBP2B. The first two genes in the operon, designated yllB and yllC, are significantly similar to genes of unknown function similarly positioned upstream of pbpB in Escherichia coli. Both B. subtilis genes are shown to be nonessential. The third B. subtilis gene, yllD, is essential, as is the correspondingly positioned ftsL gene of E. coli. The predicted product of yllD is similar to FtsL in size and distribution of charged residues but is not significantly related in primary amino acid sequence. The major promoter for the cluster lies upstream of the first gene, yllB, but at least one minor promoter lies within the yllC gene. The operon is transcribed throughout growth at a low level.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Errington
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000235:genetics*; D009876:Operon; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D046928:Peptidoglycan Glycosyltransferase; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C478704:FtsI protein, E coli; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C098866:YllB protein, Bacillus subtilis; C098867:YllC protein, Bacillus subtilis; C098865:YllD protein, Bacillus subtilis; C078387:ftsL protein, E coli; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D046928:Peptidoglycan Glycosyltransferase; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase