Translation of the mRNA for the sporulation gene spoIIID of Bacillus subtilis is dependent upon translation of a small upstream open reading frame.
We report the existence of a small open reading frame (usd) that is located between the promoter and coding sequence for the sporulation gene spoIIID in Bacillus subtilis. The mRNA from the usd-spoIIID operon contains an inverted repeat sequence that is predicted to form a stem-loop structure that would sequester the ribosome binding site for spoIIID. A mutation eliminating the ribosome binding site for the upstream open reading frame caused an oligosporogenous phenotype and interfered with the translation, but not the transcription, of the downstream gene spoIIID. We propose that efficient synthesis of SpoIIID requires that the putative stem-loop structure be disrupted by translation through the upstream open reading frame.
Decatur
A
A
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
McMurry
M T
MT
Kunkel
B N
BN
Losick
R
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics*; D009876:Operon; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C071977:SpoIIID protein, Bacillus; D014157:Transcription Factors