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Expression of the chaplin and rodlin hydrophobic sheath proteins in Streptomyces venezuelae is controlled by σ BldN and a cognate anti‐sigma factor, RsbN
Author(s) -
Bibb Maureen J.,
Domonkos Ágota,
Chandra Govind,
Buttner Mark J.
Publication year - 2012
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.1365-2958.2012.08070.x
Subject(s) - biology , streptomyces , mutant , sigma factor , hypha , gene , spore , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , biochemistry , genetics , bacteria , promoter
Summary The chaplin and rodlin proteins together constitute the major components of the hydrophobic sheath that coats the aerial hyphae and spores in Streptomyces , and mutants lacking the chaplins are unable to erect aerial hyphae and differentiate on minimal media. We have gained insight into the developmental regulation of the chaplin ( chp ) and rodlin ( rdl ) genes by exploiting a new model species, Streptomyces venezuelae , which sporulates in liquid culture. Using microarrays, the chaplin and rodlin genes were found to be highly induced during submerged sporulation in a bldN ‐dependent manner. Using σ BldN ChIP‐chip, we show that this dependence arises because the chaplin and rodlin genes are direct biochemical targets of σ BldN . sven3186 (here named rsbN for r egulator of s igma B ld N ), the gene lying immediately downstream of bldN , was also identified as a target of σ BldN . Disruption of rsbN causes precocious sporulation and biochemical experiments demonstrate that RsbN functions as a σ BldN ‐specific anti‐sigma factor.