An in vivo membrane fusion assay implicates SpoIIIE in the final stages of engulfment during Bacillus subtilis sporulation.

ABSTRACT: Shortly after the synthesis of the two cells required for sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, the membranes of the larger mother cell begin to migrate around and engulf the smaller forespore cell. At the completion of this process the leading edges of the migrating membrane meet and fuse, releasing the forespore into the mother cell cytoplasm. We developed a fluorescent membrane stain-based assay for this membrane fusion event, and we isolated mutants defective in the final stages of engulfment or membrane fusion. All had defects in spoIIIE, which is required for translocation of the forespore chromosome across the polar septum. We isolated one spoIIIE mutant severely defective in chromosome translocation, but not in membrane fusion; this mutation disrupts the ATP/GTP-binding site of SpoIIIE

SUBMITTER: Sharp MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC24474 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature