title: "A la recherche" of functions for the spore protein SASP-E from Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: We previously observed that Bacillus subtilis spores from sspE mutants presented a lower germination capacity in media containing high salt concentrations (0.9 M NaCl). This deficiency was attributed to the absence of SASP-E (gamma-type small-acid-soluble protein), rich in osmocompatible amino acids released by degradation. Herein we observed that, in addition, this mutant spore presented a reduced capacity to use L-alanine as germinant (L-ala pathway), required longer times to germinate in calcium dipicolinate (Ca(2+)-DPA), but germinated well in asparagine, glucose, fructose, and potassium chloride (AGFK pathway). Moreover, mild sonic treatment of mutant spores partially recovered their germination capacity in L-ala. Spore qualities were also altered, since sporulating colonies from the sspE mutant showed a pale brownish color, a higher adherence to agar plates, and lower autofluorescence, properties related to their spore coat content. Furthermore, biochemical analysis showed a reduced partition in hexadecane and a higher content of Ca(2+)-DPA when compared with its isogenic wild-type control. Coat protein preparations showed a different electrophoretic pattern, in particular when detected with antibodies against CotG and CotE. The complementation with a wild-type sspE gene in a plasmid allowed for recovering the wild-type coat phenotype. This is the first report of a direct involvement of SASP-E in the spore coat assembly during the differentiation program of sporulation.
authors: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Química Biológica, Ciudad Universitaria Pabellón II, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Sandra M
authors: SM
authors: Ruzal
authors: Patricia L
authors: PL
authors: Bustos
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Sánchez-Rivas
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C030069:spore-specific proteins, Bacillus