The structure and interactions of SpoIISA and SpoIISB, a toxin-antitoxin system in Bacillus subtilis.

ABSTRACT: Spore formation in Bacillus subtilis begins with an asymmetric cell division, following which differential gene expression is established by alternative compartment-specific RNA polymerase σ factors. The spoIISAB operon of B. subtilis was identified as a locus whose mutation leads to increased activity of the first sporulation-specific sigma factor, σ(F). Inappropriate spoIISA expression causes lysis of vegetatively growing B. subtilis cells and Escherichia coli cells when expressed heterologously, effects that are countered by co-expression of spoIISB, identifying SpoIISA-SpoIISB as a toxin-antitoxin system. SpoIISA has three putative membrane-spanning segments and a cytoplasmic domain. Here, the crystal structure of a cytoplasmic fragment of SpoIISA (CSpoIISA) in complex with SpoIISB has

SUBMITTER: Florek P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3057836 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature