title: Bacillus thuringiensis peptidoglycan hydrolase SleB171 involved in daughter cell separation during cell division.
abstract: Whole-genome analyses have revealed a putative cell wall hydrolase gene (sleB171) that constitutes an operon with two other genes (ypeBandyhcN) of unknown function inBacillus thuringiensisBMB171. The putative SleB171 protein consists of 259 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 28.3 kDa. Gene disruption ofsleB171in the BMB171 genome causes the formation of long cell chains during the vegetative growth phase and delays spore formation and spore release, although it has no significant effect on cell growth and the ultimate release of the spores. The inseparable vegetative cells were nearly restored through the complementation ofsleB171expression. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed thatsleB171is mainly active in the vegetative growth phase, with a maximum activity at the early stationary growth phase. Western blot analysis also confirmed thatsleB171is preferentially expressed during the vegetative growth phase. These results demonstrated that SleB171 plays an essential role in the daughter cell separation during cell division.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Penggao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xiuyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ziniu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China lilin@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D002455:Cell Division; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009876:Operon
chemical_list: D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase
keywords: Bacillus thuringiensis; SleB171; cell division; peptidoglycan hydrolase