FIG. 1.

ClustalW alignment of various Bacillus species germinant-receptor B proteins. B. megaterium GerVB, GerUB, and GerWB are cognate for glucose; B. subtilis GerKB is also thought to be involved in mediating glucose-associated germinative responses. Predicted TM helices, as judged by HMMTOP (40) analysis of GerVB, are highlighted. Residues denoted by stars were subject to amino acid substitution in this work. BM, B. megaterium QM B1551; BS, B. subtilis 168; GT, Geobacillus thermodenitrificans NG80-2; BC, B. cereus E33L.