title: Visualization of differential gene expression by improved cyan fluorescent protein and yellow fluorescent protein production in Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: The distinguishable cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins (CFP and YFP) enable the simultaneous in vivo visualization of different promoter activities. Here, we report new cloning vectors for the construction of cfp and yfp fusions in Bacillus subtilis. By extending the N-terminal portions of previously described CFP and YFP variants, 20- to 70-fold-improved fluorescent-protein production was achieved. Probably, the addition of sequences encoding the first eight amino acids of the N-terminal part of ComGA of B. subtilis overcomes the slow translation initiation that is provoked by the eukaryotic codon bias present in the original cfp and yfp genes. Using these new vectors, we demonstrate that, within an isogenic population of sporulating B. subtilis cells, expression of the abrB and spoIIA genes is distinct in individual cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan-Willem
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Veening
authors.forename: Wiep Klaas
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.forename: Leendert W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Hamoen
authors.forename: Jan D H
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Jongbloed
authors.forename: Oscar P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Kuipers
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C060762:AbrB protein, Bacillus subtilis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; C485182:Cyan Fluorescent Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus; C054562:yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins