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Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1996 Oct;178(20):6059–6063. doi: 10.1128/jb.178.20.6059-6063.1996

A gene (sleB) encoding a spore cortex-lytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis and response of the enzyme to L-alanine-mediated germination.

R Moriyama 1, A Hattori 1, S Miyata 1, S Kudoh 1, S Makino 1
PMCID: PMC178467  PMID: 8830707

Abstract

The Bacillus subtilis sleB gene, which codes for the enzyme homologous to the germination-specific amidase from Bacillus cereus, was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Sequence analysis showed that it had an open reading frame of 918 bp, coding for a polypeptide of 305 amino acids with a putative signal sequence of 29 residues. Enzyme activity was not found in germination exudate of B. subtilis spores, which differs from the case of B. cereus enzyme. A B. subtilis mutant with an insertionally inactivated sleB gene revealed normal behavior in growth and sporulation. However, the sleB mutant was unable to complete germination mediated by L-alanine.

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Selected References

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