title: Isolation and characterization of sporulation-initiation mutation in the Bacillus subtilis prfB gene.
abstract: A Bacillus subtilis prfB45 mutant grew at 42 degrees C, but its sporulation was severely defective at 37 degrees C. Sporulation-specific induction of kinA, spo0A, and spo0H genes was inhibited in the mutant. The effects of temperature up-shift and down-shift on sporulation of the prfB45 mutant was observed at an early stage of sporulation. UGA readthrough frequency at non-permissive temperatures for sporulation was higher in the mutant than in the wild-type strain. Temperature-sensitive sporulation of the prfB45 mutant was suppressed by mutations in rpsL coding for S12 of ribosomes, required for accurate termination of translation. Additionally, spontaneous second-site mutations that suppressed the sporulation phenotype of the prfB45 strain were found in the rpoB gene. These results suggest that accurate termination of translation is required for proper initiation of sporulation.
authors.affiliation: Area of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan. asai@molbiol.saitama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inaoka
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nanamiya
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sadaie
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: Fujio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kawamura
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018389:Codon, Nonsense / Q000235:genetics; D003470:Culture Media; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016153:Genes, Suppressor; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D013696:Temperature; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018389:Codon, Nonsense; D003470:Culture Media; D001616:beta-Galactosidase