Fig. 4.

Utilizing the MATE system as a gene switch in controlling cell morphology. (A) The role of DivIVA in regulating cell division in B. subtilis. (B) Cells deficient in the divIVA gene were rescued by integrating a copy of the divIVA gene controlled by the maltose-activated (pDivOn) or -repressible (pDivOff) promoter in different plasmids. (C) MATE-ON and MATE-OFF control of B. subtilis cell morphology. Wild-type (WT), ΔdivIVA, and ΔdivIVA cells harboring a copy of the divIVA gene controlled by the activated or repressible promoter were grown in the presence or absence of the inducer maltose. To exclude the potential effect of maltose as a carbon source on cell growth or morphology, xylose and glucose were supplemented as controls. Cells are shown at 60× magnification. (Scale bar, 10 μm.)