title: Lack of formylated methionyl-tRNA has pleiotropic effects on Bacillus subtilis.
abstract: Bacteria initiate translation using a modified amino acid, N-formylmethionine (fMet), adapted specifically for this function. Most proteins are processed co-translationally by peptide deformylase (PDF) to remove this modification. Although PDF activity is essential in WT cells and is the target of the antibiotic actinonin, bypass mutations in the fmt gene that eliminate the formylation of Met-tRNAMet render PDF dispensable. The extent to which the emergence of fmt bypass mutations might compromise the therapeutic utility of actinonin is determined, in part, by the effects of these bypass mutations on fitness. Here, we characterize the phenotypic consequences of an fmt null mutation in the model organism Bacillus subtilis. An fmt null mutant is defective for several post-exponential phase adaptive programmes including antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, swarming and swimming motility and sporulation. In addition, a survey of well-characterized stress responses reveals an increased sensitivity to metal ion excess and oxidative stress. These diverse phenotypes presumably reflect altered synthesis or stability of key proteins involved in these processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Science, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, PR China.|Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Yanfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Pete
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chandrangsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaballa
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Helmann
mesh_terms: D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D009239:N-Formylmethionine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010269:Paraquat / Q000494:pharmacology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011765:Pyruvaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology; D012358:RNA, Transfer, Met / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D012358:RNA, Transfer, Met; D009239:N-Formylmethionine; D011765:Pyruvaldehyde; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D000581:Amidohydrolases; C084507:peptide deformylase; C010531:actinonin; D010269:Paraquat