Maintaining the transcription factor SpoIIID level late during sporulation causes spore defects in Bacillus subtilis.
During sporulation of Bacillus subtilis, four regulatory proteins act in the order sigma(E), SpoIIID, sigma(K), and GerE to temporally control gene expression in the mother cell. sigma(E) and sigma(K) work sequentially with core RNA polymerase to transcribe different sets of genes. SpoIIID and GerE are small, sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins that activate or repress transcription of many genes. Previous studies showed that transcriptionally active sigma(K) RNA polymerase inhibits early mother cell gene expression, reducing accumulation of SpoIIID late in sporulation. Here, the effects of perturbing the mother cell gene regulatory network by maintaining the SpoIIID level late during sporulation are reported. Persistent expression was obtained by fusing spoIIID to the sigma(K)-controlled gerE promoter on a multicopy plasmid. Fewer heat- and lysozyme-resistant spores were produced by the strain with persistent spoIIID expression, but the number of spores resistant to organic solvents was unchanged, as was their germination ability. Transmission electron microscopy showed structural defects in the spore coat. Reporter fusions to sigma(K)-dependent promoters showed lower expression of gerE and cotC and higher expression of cotD. Altered expression of cot genes, which encode spore coat proteins, may account for the spore structural defects. These results suggest that one role of negative feedback by sigma(K) RNA polymerase on early mother cell gene expression is to lower the level of SpoIIID late during sporulation in order to allow normal expression of genes in the sigma(K) regulon.
Wang
Lijuan
L
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Perpich
John
J
Driks
Adam
A
Kroos
Lee
L
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006358:Hot Temperature; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000494:pharmacology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C071977:SpoIIID protein, Bacillus; D014157:Transcription Factors; C084190:sigma K; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus; D009113:Muramidase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase
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