Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1992 Apr;174(8):2648–2658. doi: 10.1128/jb.174.8.2648-2658.1992

Spo0A controls the sigma A-dependent activation of Bacillus subtilis sporulation-specific transcription unit spoIIE.

K York 1, T J Kenney 1, S Satola 1, C P Moran Jr 1, H Poth 1, P Youngman 1
PMCID: PMC205905  PMID: 1556084

Abstract

The spoIIE operon is a developmentally regulated transcription unit activated in the second hour of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Its promoter has an unusual structure, containing sequences which conform perfectly to the consensus for vegetative promoters recognized by sigma A-associated RNA polymerase (E sigma A), but with a spacing of 21 bp between the apparent -10 and -35 elements instead of the 17- or 18-bp spacing typical of promoters utilized by E sigma A. Mutations introduced into the apparent -10 element affected transcription in a manner consistent with its functioning as a polymerase recognition sequence. The deleterious effect of one -10 mutation was also suppressed in an allele-specific manner by a mutation in sigA known to suppress analogous -10 mutations in conventional vegetative promoters recognized by E sigma A. Similar suppression experiments failed to provide evidence for a direct interaction between E sigma A and the "-35-like" element, however, and DNase I protection experiments suggested instead that the Spo0A protein binds to a site overlapping this -35-like hexamer. Moreover, the effects of mutations within the -35-like hexamer on the binding of Spo0A in vitro paralleled their effects on transcription in vivo. We suggest that spoIIE belongs to a class of early-intermediate sporulation genes whose transcription by E sigma A is activated by the Spo0A protein.

Full text

PDF
2648

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Antoniewski C., Savelli B., Stragier P. The spoIIJ gene, which regulates early developmental steps in Bacillus subtilis, belongs to a class of environmentally responsive genes. J Bacteriol. 1990 Jan;172(1):86–93. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.1.86-93.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Backman K., Ptashne M., Gilbert W. Construction of plasmids carrying the cI gene of bacteriophage lambda. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Nov;73(11):4174–4178. doi: 10.1073/pnas.73.11.4174. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Birnboim H. C., Doly J. A rapid alkaline extraction procedure for screening recombinant plasmid DNA. Nucleic Acids Res. 1979 Nov 24;7(6):1513–1523. doi: 10.1093/nar/7.6.1513. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bolivar F. Construction and characterization of new cloning vehicles. III. Derivatives of plasmid pBR322 carrying unique Eco RI sites for selection of Eco RI generated recombinant DNA molecules. Gene. 1978 Oct;4(2):121–136. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(78)90025-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bolivar F., Rodriguez R. L., Betlach M. C., Boyer H. W. Construction and characterization of new cloning vehicles. I. Ampicillin-resistant derivatives of the plasmid pMB9. Gene. 1977;2(2):75–93. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(77)90074-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Burbulys D., Trach K. A., Hoch J. A. Initiation of sporulation in B. subtilis is controlled by a multicomponent phosphorelay. Cell. 1991 Feb 8;64(3):545–552. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(91)90238-t. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Craig N. L., Nash H. A. E. coli integration host factor binds to specific sites in DNA. Cell. 1984 Dec;39(3 Pt 2):707–716. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(84)90478-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dubnau D., Davidoff-Abelson R. Fate of transforming DNA following uptake by competent Bacillus subtilis. I. Formation and properties of the donor-recipient complex. J Mol Biol. 1971 Mar 14;56(2):209–221. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(71)90460-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gardella T., Moyle H., Susskind M. M. A mutant Escherichia coli sigma 70 subunit of RNA polymerase with altered promoter specificity. J Mol Biol. 1989 Apr 20;206(4):579–590. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(89)90567-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gaur N. K., Oppenheim J., Smith I. The Bacillus subtilis sin gene, a regulator of alternate developmental processes, codes for a DNA-binding protein. J Bacteriol. 1991 Jan;173(2):678–686. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.2.678-686.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Guzmán P., Westpheling J., Youngman P. Characterization of the promoter region of the Bacillus subtilis spoIIE operon. J Bacteriol. 1988 Apr;170(4):1598–1609. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.4.1598-1609.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Ish-Horowicz D., Burke J. F. Rapid and efficient cosmid cloning. Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Jul 10;9(13):2989–2998. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.13.2989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kenney T. J., Kirchman P. A., Moran C. P., Jr Gene encoding sigma E is transcribed from a sigma A-like promoter in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1988 Jul;170(7):3058–3064. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.7.3058-3064.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kenney T. J., Moran C. P., Jr Genetic evidence for interaction of sigma A with two promoters in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1991 Jun;173(11):3282–3290. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.11.3282-3290.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kenney T. J., Moran C. P., Jr Organization and regulation of an operon that encodes a sporulation-essential sigma factor in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1987 Jul;169(7):3329–3339. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.7.3329-3339.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kenney T. J., York K., Youngman P., Moran C. P., Jr Genetic evidence that RNA polymerase associated with sigma A factor uses a sporulation-specific promoter in Bacillus subtilis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Dec;86(23):9109–9113. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.23.9109. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kunkel T. A., Roberts J. D., Zakour R. A. Rapid and efficient site-specific mutagenesis without phenotypic selection. Methods Enzymol. 1987;154:367–382. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(87)54085-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Lederberg E. M., Cohen S. N. Transformation of Salmonella typhimurium by plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid. J Bacteriol. 1974 Sep;119(3):1072–1074. doi: 10.1128/jb.119.3.1072-1074.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Losick R., Pero J. Cascades of Sigma factors. Cell. 1981 Sep;25(3):582–584. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90164-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Losick R., Youngman P., Piggot P. J. Genetics of endospore formation in Bacillus subtilis. Annu Rev Genet. 1986;20:625–669. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.20.120186.003205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Messing J. New M13 vectors for cloning. Methods Enzymol. 1983;101:20–78. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(83)01005-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Moran C. P., Jr, Lang N., LeGrice S. F., Lee G., Stephens M., Sonenshein A. L., Pero J., Losick R. Nucleotide sequences that signal the initiation of transcription and translation in Bacillus subtilis. Mol Gen Genet. 1982;186(3):339–346. doi: 10.1007/BF00729452. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Olmedo G., Ninfa E. G., Stock J., Youngman P. Novel mutations that alter the regulation of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Evidence that phosphorylation of regulatory protein SpoOA controls the initiation of sporulation. J Mol Biol. 1990 Oct 5;215(3):359–372. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(05)80357-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Perego M., Spiegelman G. B., Hoch J. A. Structure of the gene for the transition state regulator, abrB: regulator synthesis is controlled by the spo0A sporulation gene in Bacillus subtilis. Mol Microbiol. 1988 Nov;2(6):689–699. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1988.tb00079.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Piggot P. J., Curtis C. A. Analysis of the regulation of gene expression during Bacillus subtilis sporulation by manipulation of the copy number of spo-lacZ fusions. J Bacteriol. 1987 Mar;169(3):1260–1266. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.3.1260-1266.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Price C. W., Doi R. H. Genetic mapping of rpoD implicates the major sigma factor of Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase in sporulation initiation. Mol Gen Genet. 1985;201(1):88–95. doi: 10.1007/BF00397991. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Rosenthal R., Toye P. A., Korman R. Z., Zahler S. A. The prophage of SP beta c2dcitK1, A defective specialized transducing phage of Bacillus subtilis. Genetics. 1979 Jul;92(3):721–739. doi: 10.1093/genetics/92.3.721. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Sandman K., Losick R., Youngman P. Genetic analysis of Bacillus subtilis spo mutations generated by Tn917-mediated insertional mutagenesis. Genetics. 1987 Dec;117(4):603–617. doi: 10.1093/genetics/117.4.603. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Satola S., Kirchman P. A., Moran C. P., Jr Spo0A binds to a promoter used by sigma A RNA polymerase during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 May 15;88(10):4533–4537. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.10.4533. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Semon D., Movva N. R., Smith T. F., el Alama M., Davies J. Plasmid-determined bleomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Plasmid. 1987 Jan;17(1):46–53. doi: 10.1016/0147-619x(87)90007-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Siegele D. A., Hu J. C., Walter W. A., Gross C. A. Altered promoter recognition by mutant forms of the sigma 70 subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. J Mol Biol. 1989 Apr 20;206(4):591–603. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(89)90568-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Stock J. B., Ninfa A. J., Stock A. M. Protein phosphorylation and regulation of adaptive responses in bacteria. Microbiol Rev. 1989 Dec;53(4):450–490. doi: 10.1128/mr.53.4.450-490.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Stragier P., Bonamy C., Karmazyn-Campelli C. Processing of a sporulation sigma factor in Bacillus subtilis: how morphological structure could control gene expression. Cell. 1988 Mar 11;52(5):697–704. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90407-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Stragier P., Losick R. Cascades of sigma factors revisited. Mol Microbiol. 1990 Nov;4(11):1801–1806. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1990.tb02028.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Strauch M., Webb V., Spiegelman G., Hoch J. A. The SpoOA protein of Bacillus subtilis is a repressor of the abrB gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Mar;87(5):1801–1805. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.5.1801. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Waldburger C., Gardella T., Wong R., Susskind M. M. Changes in conserved region 2 of Escherichia coli sigma 70 affecting promoter recognition. J Mol Biol. 1990 Sep 20;215(2):267–276. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(05)80345-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Wu J. J., Howard M. G., Piggot P. J. Regulation of transcription of the Bacillus subtilis spoIIA locus. J Bacteriol. 1989 Feb;171(2):692–698. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.2.692-698.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Yanisch-Perron C., Vieira J., Messing J. Improved M13 phage cloning vectors and host strains: nucleotide sequences of the M13mp18 and pUC19 vectors. Gene. 1985;33(1):103–119. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(85)90120-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Yansura D. G., Henner D. J. Use of the Escherichia coli lac repressor and operator to control gene expression in Bacillus subtilis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Jan;81(2):439–443. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.2.439. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Youngman P., Perkins J. B., Losick R. A novel method for the rapid cloning in Escherichia coli of Bacillus subtilis chromosomal DNA adjacent to Tn917 insertions. Mol Gen Genet. 1984;195(3):424–433. doi: 10.1007/BF00341443. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Zuber P., Healy J., Carter H. L., 3rd, Cutting S., Moran C. P., Jr, Losick R. Mutation changing the specificity of an RNA polymerase sigma factor. J Mol Biol. 1989 Apr 20;206(4):605–614. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(89)90569-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Zuber P., Losick R. Role of AbrB in Spo0A- and Spo0B-dependent utilization of a sporulation promoter in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1987 May;169(5):2223–2230. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.5.2223-2230.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES