title: Extra-chromosomal DNA maintenance in Bacillus subtilis, dependence on flagellation factor FliF and moonlighting mediator EdmS.
abstract: Extra-chromosomal DNA maintenance (EDM) as an important process in the propagation and genetic engineering of microbes. Bacillus subtilis EdmS (formerly PgsE), a protein comprising 55 amino acids, is a mediator of the EDM process. In this study, the effect of mutation of global regulators on B. subtilis EDM was examined. Mutation of the swrA gene abolished EdmS-mediated EDM. It is known that swrA predominantly regulates expression of the fla/che operon in B. subtilis. We therefore performed EDM analysis using fla/che-deletion mutants and identified an EDM-mediated EDM cooperator in the flgB-fliL region. Further genetic investigation identified the flagellation factor FliF is a crucial EDM cooperator. To our knowledge, this is the first observation of the moonlighting function of FliF in DNA maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hakumai
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimomoto
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Science, Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan; Department of Agriculture, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan. Electronic address: ashiuchi@kochi-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashiuchi
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C075661:Flif protein, Bacteria; D008565:Membrane Proteins
keywords: Bacillus subtilis; DNA maintenance; Flagellation; Moonlighting; Mutational analysis; Poly-γ-glutamate