Open AccessIsolation and characterization of a sporulation initiation mutation in the Bacillus subtilis secA gene
Author(s) -
Kei Asai,
Fujio Kawamura,
Yoshito Sadaie,
Hideo Takahashi
Publication year - 1997
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.179.2.544-547.1997
Subject(s) - bacillus subtilis , biology , mutant , gene , transcription (linguistics) , lac operon , genetics , promoter , fusion gene , transcription factor , bacillaceae , gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , linguistics , philosophy
A Bacillus subtilis secA mutant, secA12, which is blocked at an early stage of sporulation, is able to grow as well as the wild-type strain at all temperatures tested. Experiments with lacZ fusion genes showed that the induction of kinA expression, as well as the sporulation-specific transcription of the spo0A gene, was not observed in the secA12 mutant. However, transcription of the spo0H gene (coding for sigmaH, which is required for the transcription of kinA and spo0A) and accumulation of the sigmaH protein were not affected in secA12. These results suggested that mutations in secA affect a factor required for efficient transcription of kinA as well as for the activation of the phosphorelay pathway.