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. 1996 Jan;178(2):546–549. doi: 10.1128/jb.178.2.546-549.1996

Exchange of precursor-specific elements between Pro-sigma E and Pro-sigma K of Bacillus subtilis.

H C Carlson 1, S Lu 1, L Kroos 1, W G Haldenwang 1
PMCID: PMC177691  PMID: 8550479

Abstract

sigma E and sigma K are sporulation-specific sigma factors of Bacillus subtilis that are synthesized as inactive proproteins. Pro-sigma E and pro-sigma K are activated by the removal of 27 and 20 amino acids, respectively, from their amino termini. To explore the properties of the precursor-specific sequences, we exchanged the coding elements for these domains in the sigma E and sigma K structural genes and determined the properties of the resulting chimeric proteins in B. subtilis. The pro-sigma E-sigma K chimera accumulated and was cleaved into active sigma K, while the pro-sigma K-sigma E fusion protein failed to accumulate and is likely unstable in B. subtilis. A fusion of the sigE "pro" sequence to an unrelated protein (bovine rhodanese) also formed a protein that was cleaved by the pro-sigma E processing apparatus. The data suggest that the sigma E pro sequence contains sufficient information for pro-sigma E processing as well as a unique quality needed for sigma E accumulation.

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Selected References

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