title: Characterization of Bacillus subtilis hemN.
abstract: A recently cloned Bacillus subtilis open reading frame (hemN) upstream of the dnaK operon was identified as encoding a protein involved in oxygen-independent coproporphyrinogen III decarboxylation. B. subtilis hemN functionally complemented two Salmonella typhimurium hemF hemN double mutants under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. A B. subtilis hemN mutant accumulated coproporphyrinogen III only under anaerobic conditions. Interestingly, growth experiments using the B. subtilis hemN mutant revealed normal aerobic and anaerobic growth, indicating the presence of an alternative oxygen-independent enzymatic system. Northern blot experiments identified hemN mRNA as part of an approximately 7-kb pentacistronic transcript consisting of lepA, hemN, hrcA, grpE, and dnaK. One potential start site for aerobic and anaerobic transcription was located 37 bp upstream of the translational start codon of lepA. Comparable amounts of hemN transcript were observed under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. No experimental evidence for the presence of hemF in B. subtilis was obtained. Moreover, B. subtilis hemY did not substitute for hemF hemN deficiency in S. typhimurium. These results indicate the absence of hemF and suggest the presence of a second hemN-like gene in B. subtilis.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Biochemie, Max-Planck-Institut für Terrestrische Mikrobiologie, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hippler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Homuth
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hungerer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schumann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jahn
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D003304:Coproporphyrinogen Oxidase; D003305:Coproporphyrinogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009876:Operon; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D003304:Coproporphyrinogen Oxidase; D003305:Coproporphyrinogens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C068113:GrpE protein, Bacteria; C109194:HemN protein, Bacteria; C063842:dnaK protein, E coli