Regulation of synthesis of the Bacillus subtilis transition-phase, spore-associated antibacterial protein TasA.
Previously, we identified a novel component of Bacillus subtilis spores, called TasA, which possesses antibacterial activity. TasA is made early in spore formation, as cells enter stationary phase, and is secreted into the medium as well as deposited into the spore. Here, we show that tasA expression can occur as cells enter stationary phase even under sporulation-repressing conditions, indicating that TasA is a transition-phase protein. tasA and two upstream genes, yqxM and sipW, likely form an operon, transcription of which is under positive control by the transition-phase regulatory genes spo0A and spo0H and negative control by the transition phase regulatory gene abrB. These results are consistent with the suggestion that yqxM, sipW, and tasA constitute a transition phase operon that could play a protective role in a variety of cellular responses to stress during late-exponential-phase and early-stationary-phase growth in B. subtilis.
Stöver
A G
AG
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA.
Driks
A
A
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001665:Binding Sites; D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
C060762:AbrB protein, Bacillus subtilis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C080950:Spo0A protein, Bacillus subtilis; C087737:Spo0H protein, Bacillus subtilis; C119938:TasA protein, Bacillus subtilis; D014157:Transcription Factors