title: A highly unstable transcript makes CwlO D,L-endopeptidase expression responsive to growth conditions in Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: The Bacillus subtilis cell wall is a dynamic structure, composed of peptidoglycan and teichoic acid, that is continually remodeled during growth. Remodeling is effected by the combined activities of penicillin binding proteins and autolysins that participate in the synthesis and turnover of peptidoglycan, respectively. It has been established that one or the other of the CwlO and LytE D,L-endopeptidase-type autolysins is essential for cell viability, a requirement that is fulfilled by coordinate control of their expression by WalRK and SigI RsgI. Here we report on the regulation of cwlO expression. The cwlO transcript is very unstable, with its degradation initiated by RNase Y cleavage within the 187-nucleotide leader sequence. An antisense cwlO transcript of heterogeneous length is expressed from a SigB promoter that has the potential to control cellular levels of cwlO RNA and protein under stress conditions. We discuss how a multiplicity of regulatory mechanisms makes CwlO expression and activity responsive to the prevailing growth conditions.
authors.affiliation: Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noone
authors.forename: Letal I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Salzberg
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Botella
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bäsell
authors.forename: Dörte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becher
authors.forename: Haike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Antelmann
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Devine
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D020871:RNA Stability; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012260:Ribonucleases; D010450:Endopeptidases; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase