FIG. 5.

P_m interacts with element D in vivo. (A) Wild-type P_m interacts with wild-type element D (TTACACG) but not with the bicoid-like d3 allele (TAATCCC), indicating that the P_m-element D interaction is critical for sporulation. An altered-specificity derivative of P_m (S155K) that interacts with the d3 allele should effectively recreate the P_m-element D interaction and permit sporulation. (B) Sporulation phenotypes (assayed by iodine staining) for strains containing the indicated alleles of element D (WP20, WP434, WP495, WP496, and WP499) and plasmids overexpressing the wild type or S155K derivative of P_m. All strains, including the control containing the pAD2 vector, contain the chromosomal copy of P_m.