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The Bacillus secretion stress response is an indicator for α‐amylase production levels
Author(s) -
Westers H.,
Darmon E.,
Zanen G.,
Veening J.W.,
Kuipers O.P.,
Bron S.,
Quax W.J.,
Van Dijl J.M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-765x.2004.01539.x
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , secretion , amylase , biology , secretory protein , proteases , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , enzyme , gene , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics
Aims: Overproduced α ‐amylases in Bacillus subtilis provoke a specific stress response involving the CssRS two‐component system, which controls expression of the HtrA and HtrB proteases. Previously, the B. subtilis TepA protein was implicated in high‐level α ‐amylase secretion. Our present studies were aimed at investigating a possible role of TepA in secretion stress management, and characterizing the intensity of the secretion stress response in relation to α ‐amylase production. Methods and Results: The expression of a transcriptional htrB – lacZ gene fusion, and the levels of α ‐amylase production were monitored simultaneously using tepA mutant B. subtilis strains. TepA was shown to be dispensable for secretion stress management. Importantly, however, the levels of htrB‐lacZ expression can be correlated with the levels of α ‐amylase production. Conclusion: Our observations show that the secretion stress response can serve as an indicator for α ‐amylase production levels. Significance and Impact of Study: Conceivably, this stress response can be employed to monitor the biotechnological production of various secretory proteins by the Bacillus cell factory.