Open AccessA Widely Conserved Gene Cluster Required for Lactate Utilization in Bacillus subtilis and Its Involvement in Biofilm Formation
Author(s) -
Yunrong Chai,
Roberto Kolter,
Richard Losick
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.01464-08
Subject(s) - operon , bacillus subtilis , biology , repressor , biofilm , biochemistry , bacteria , gene , genome , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , gene expression
We report that catabolism ofl -lactate inBacillus subtilis depends on the previously uncharacterizedyvfV-yvfW-yvbY (herein renamedlutABC ) operon, which is inferred to encode three iron-sulfur-containing proteins. The operon is under the dual control of a GntR-type repressor (LutR, formerly YvfI) and the master regulator for biofilm formation SinR and is induced during growth in response tol -lactate. Operons with high similarity tolutABC are present in the genomes of a variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, raising the possibility that LutABC is a widely conserved and previously unrecognized pathway for the utilization ofl -lactate or related metabolites.