Regulation and characterization of a newly deduced cell wall hydrolase gene (cwlJ) which affects germination of Bacillus subtilis spores.

ABSTRACT: The predicted amino acid sequence of Bacillus subtilis ycbQ (renamed cwlJ) exhibits high similarity to those of the deduced C-terminal catalytic domain of SleBs, the specific cortex-hydrolyzing enzyme of B. cereus and the deduced one of B. subtilis. We constructed a cwlJ::lacZ fusion in the B. subtilis chromosome. The beta-galactosidase activity and results of Northern hybridization and primer extension analyses of the cwlJ gene indicated that it is transcribed by EsigmaE RNA polymerase. cwlJ-deficient spores responded to both L-alanine and AGFK, the A580 values of spore suspensions decreased more slowly than in the case of the wild-type strain, and the mutant spores released less dipicolinic acid than did those of the wild-type strain during germination. However, the mutant spores release

SUBMITTER: Ishikawa S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC107033 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature