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Differential gene expression during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis : regulation of the spoVJ gene
Author(s) -
Errington J.,
Wootten L.,
Dunkerley J.C.,
Foulger D.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1989.tb00255.x
Subject(s) - biology , bacillus subtilis , gene , locus (genetics) , genetics , pair rule gene , gene expression , transcription (linguistics) , regulation of gene expression , lac operon , regulator gene , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , linguistics , philosophy
Summary The process of spore formation in the Gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is a simple developmental system controlled by 50 or more genes. The complex pattern of regulatory interactions between these genes is beginning to be elucidated. spoVJ is a poorly characterized locus in which mutations affect spore development at a relatively late stage (Stage V). We have now cloned and physically characterized the SpoVJ locus, and analysed its expression by lacZ fusion. Expression of spoVJ is temporally delayed until about two hours after the initiation of sporulation. Its expression is also spatially restricted to the mother cell compartment; as such, it represents the earliest known mother‐cell‐specific event. Control of spoVJ transcription is complex: expression is dependent upon the products of all of the spo0 genes and on some of the spoII genes butitis independent of all later genes except spoIIID. As spoIIID mutations do not affect prespore development, this gene must be an important early determinant of mother‐cell‐specific gene expression.