title: Analysis of nucleoid morphology during germination and outgrowth of spores of Bacillus species.
abstract: After a few minutes of germination, nucleoids in the great majority of spores of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus megaterium were ring shaped. The major spore DNA binding proteins, the alpha/beta-type small, acid-soluble proteins (SASP), colocalized to these nucleoid rings early in spore germination, as did the B. megaterium homolog of the major B. subtilis chromosomal protein HBsu. The percentage of ring-shaped nucleoids was decreased in germinated spores with lower levels of alpha/beta-type SASP. As spore outgrowth proceeded, the ring-shaped nucleoids disappeared and the nucleoid became more compact. This change took place after degradation of most of the spores' pool of major alpha/beta-type SASP and was delayed when alpha/beta-type SASP degradation was delayed. Later in spore outgrowth, the shape of the nucleoid reverted to the diffuse lobular shape seen in growing cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ragkousi
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Setlow
mesh_terms: D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D012808:Sigma Factor; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092468:spoIIR protein, Bacillus subtilis; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus