title: Functional relationship between SpoVIF and GerE in gene regulation during sporulation of Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: The sporulation-specific SpoVIF (YjcC) protein of Bacillus subtilis is essential for the development of heat-resistant spores. The GerE protein, the smallest member of the LuxR-FixJ family, contains a helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif and is involved in the expression of various sporulation-specific genes. In this study, the gene expression and protein composition of sporulating spoVIF-negative cells were analysed. CgeA, CotG and CotS, which are GerE-dependent coat proteins, were not expressed in the spoVIF-negative cells. Northern blotting showed that SpoVIF regulated the transcription of cgeA, cotG and cotS in a manner similar to that of GerE. In spoVIF-negative cells, gerE mRNA was transcribed normally, but immunoblot analysis using anti-GerE antiserum showed that the quantity of GerE protein was considerably less than that in wild-type controls. Using GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion proteins, the localization of SpoVIF and GerE was observed by fluorescence microscopy. SpoVIF-GFP was detectable in the mother cell compartment, as was GerE-GFP. These results suggest that SpoVIF directly or indirectly controls the function of the GerE protein, and that SpoVIF is required for gene regulation during the latter stages of sporulation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.
authors.forename: Ritsuko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuwana
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikejiri
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamura
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takamatsu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watabe
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus