Bex, the Bacillus subtilis homolog of the essential Escherichia coli GTPase Era, is required for normal cell division and spore formation.
The Bacillus subtilis bex gene complemented the defect in an Escherichia coli era mutant. The Bex protein showed 39 percent identity and 67 percent similarity to the E. coli Era GTPase. In contrast to era, bex was not essential in all strains. bex mutant cells were elongated and filled with diffuse nucleoid material. They grew slowly and exhibited severely impaired spore formation.
Minkovsky
Natalie
N
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.
Zarimani
Arash
A
Chary
Vasant K
VK
Johnstone
Brian H
BH
Powell
Bradford S
BS
Torrance
Pamela D
PD
Court
Donald L
DL
Simons
Robert W
RW
Piggot
Patrick J
PJ
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020043:Genes, Essential; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C068027:era protein, E coli; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins