GerO, a putative Na+/H+-K+ antiporter, is essential for normal germination of spores of the pathogenic bacterium Clostridium perfringens.

ABSTRACT: The genome of the pathogen Clostridium perfringens encodes two proteins, GerO and GerQ, homologous to monovalent cation transporters suggested to have roles in the germination of spores of some Bacillus species. GerO and GerQ were able to transport monovalent cations (K(+) and/or Na(+)) in Escherichia coli, and gerO and gerQ were expressed only in the mother cell compartment during C. perfringens sporulation. C. perfringens spores lacking GerO were defective in germination with a rich medium, KCl, L-asparagine, and a 1:1 chelate of Ca(2+) and dipicolinic acid (DPA), but not with dodecylamine, and the defect was prior to DPA release in germination. All defects in gerO spores were complemented by ectopic expression of wild-type gerO. Loss of GerQ had much smaller effects on spore germination

SUBMITTER: Paredes-Sabja D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2698388 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature