title: The GerW protein is not involved in the germination of spores of Bacillus species.
abstract: Germination of dormant spores of Bacillus species is initiated when nutrient germinants bind to germinant receptors in spores' inner membrane and this interaction triggers the release of dipicolinic acid and cations from the spore core and their replacement by water. Bacillus subtilis spores contain three functional germinant receptors encoded by the gerA, gerB, and gerK operons. The GerA germinant receptor alone triggers germination with L-valine or L-alanine, and the GerB and GerK germinant receptors together trigger germination with a mixture of L-asparagine, D-glucose, D-fructose and KCl (AGFK). Recently, it was reported that the B. subtilis gerW gene is expressed only during sporulation in developing spores, and that GerW is essential for L-alanine germination of B. subtilis spores but not for germination with AGFK. However, we now find that loss of the B. subtilis gerW gene had no significant effects on: i) rates of spore germination with L-alanine; ii) spores' levels of germination proteins including GerA germinant receptor subunits; iii) AGFK germination; iv) spore germination by germinant receptor-independent pathways; and v) outgrowth of germinated spores. Studies in Bacillus megaterium did find that gerW was expressed in the developing spore during sporulation, and in a temperature-dependent manner. However, disruption of gerW again had no effect on the germination of B. megaterium spores, whether germination was triggered via germinant receptor-dependent or germinant receptor-independent pathways.
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America.
authors: Jose
authors: J
authors: Cruz-Mora
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America.
authors: Abigail
authors: A
authors: Pérez-Valdespino
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: Srishti
authors: S
authors: Gupta
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: Nilumi
authors: N
authors: Withange
authors: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Ritsuko
authors: R
authors: Kuwana
authors: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Hiromu
authors: H
authors: Takamatsu
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors: Graham
authors: G
authors: Christie
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Setlow
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001216:Asparagine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001407:Bacillus / Q000502:physiology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005838:Genotype; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D013696:Temperature; D014633:Valine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001216:Asparagine; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D014633:Valine; D005947:Glucose; D000409:Alanine