title: The DNA-binding specificity of the Bacillus anthracis AbrB protein.
abstract: The Bacillus subtilis AbrB protein is a DNA-binding global regulator of a plethora of functions that are expressed during the transition from exponential growth to stationary phase and under suboptimal growth conditions. AbrB orthologues have been identified in a variety of prokaryotic organisms, notably in all species of Bacillus, Clostridium and Listeria that have been examined. Based on amino acid sequence identity in the N-terminal domains of the orthologues from B. subtilis and Bacillus anthracis, it was predicted that the proteins might display identical DNA-binding specificities. The binding of purified B. anthracis AbrB (AbrB(BA)) and purified B. subtilis AbrB (AbrB(BS)) at DNA targets of B. subtilis, B. anthracis and a synthetic origin was compared. In all cases examined, DNA-binding specificity was identical as judged by DNase I footprinting. In B. subtilis cells, the B. anthracis promoters from the atxA and abrB genes were regulated by AbrB(BS), and the B. subtilis promoter from the yxbB operon was regulated by AbrB(BA).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 666 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Strauch
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 108 N. Greene St, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Petek
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ballar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 666 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Austin J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rowshan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Dental School, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 666 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Zoller
mesh_terms: D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000502:physiology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C060762:AbrB protein, Bacillus subtilis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors