Structure and regulation of the gab gene cluster, involved in the gamma-aminobutyric acid shunt, are controlled by a sigma54 factor in Bacillus thuringiensis.

ABSTRACT: The structure and regulation of the gab gene cluster, involved in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt, were studied by characterizing gabT and gabD genes cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis. Deletions of the gabT and gabD genes in B. thuringiensis strain HD-73 did not affect the growth of mutant strains in rich culture media, but the growth of a gabT deletion mutant strain was reduced in basic media (containing 0.2% GABA). Genome analysis indicates that the structure of the gab gene cluster in B. thuringiensis HD-73 is different from that in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis but is common in strains of the Bacillus cereus group. This suggests that the gene cluster involved in GABA shunt is specific to the B. cereus group. Based on reverse transcription-PCR and transcriptional fusion a

SUBMITTER: Zhu L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2798260 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature