Heterochronic phosphorelay gene expression as a source of heterogeneity in Bacillus subtilis spore formation.

ABSTRACT: In response to limiting nutrient sources and cell density signals, Bacillus subtilis can differentiate and form highly resistant endospores. Initiation of spore development is governed by the master regulator Spo0A, which is activated by phosphorylation via a multicomponent phosphorelay. Interestingly, only part of a clonal population will enter this developmental pathway, a phenomenon known as sporulation bistability or sporulation heterogeneity. How sporulation heterogeneity is established is largely unknown. To investigate the origins of sporulation heterogeneity, we constructed promoter-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions to the main phosphorelay genes and perturbed their expression levels. Using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry, we showed that expression of th

SUBMITTER: de Jong IG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2849452 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature