Effects of major spore-specific DNA binding proteins on Bacillus subtilis sporulation and spore properties.
Sporulation of a Bacillus subtilis strain (termed alpha(-) beta(-)) lacking the majority of the alpha/beta-type small, acid-soluble spore proteins (SASP) that are synthesized in the developing forespore and saturate spore DNA exhibited a number of differences from that of the wild-type strain, including delayed forespore accumulation of dipicolinic acid, overexpression of forespore-specific genes, and delayed expression of at least one mother cell-specific gene turned on late in sporulation, although genes turned on earlier in the mother cell were expressed normally in alpha(-) beta(-) strains. The sporulation defects in alpha(-) beta(-) strains were corrected by synthesis of chromosome-saturating levels of either of two wild-type, alpha/beta-type SASP but not by a mutant SASP that binds DNA poorly. Spores from alpha(-) beta(-) strains also exhibited less glutaraldehyde resistance and slower outgrowth than did wild-type spores, but at least some of these defects in alpha(-) beta(-) spores were abolished by the synthesis of normal levels of alpha/beta-type SASP. These results indicate that alpha/beta-type SASP may well have global effects on gene expression during sporulation and spore outgrowth.
Setlow
B
B
Department of Biochemistry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032, USA. setlow@sun.uchc.edu
McGinnis
K A
KA
Ragkousi
K
K
Setlow
P
P
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D012808:Sigma Factor; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C092468:spoIIR protein, Bacillus subtilis; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus; C004860:dipicolinic acid