Controlling competence in Bacillus subtilis: shared use of regulators.
Bacteria have developed a wide arsenal of survival strategies to cope with the specific problems posed by their environment. These processes are carefully regulated and complex signal transduction cascades ensure proper activation of the adequate adaptive response. An intriguing observation is that generally the regulation pathways of the different adaptive processes are highly intertwined. In this review, this phenomenon is illustrated by the regulation of genetic competence development in Bacillus subtilis. The different regulation pathways which make up the gene regulation network that controls the development of competence are described, and their connections to other adaptive processes in B. subtilis are discussed.
Hamoen
Leendert W
LW
Department of Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands.
Venema
Gerard
G
Kuipers
Oscar P
OP
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C087449:comK protein, Bacillus subtilis