FIG. 3.
Analysis of the ftsZ transcripts by high-resolution S1 nuclease protection. A double-stranded 567-bp DNA probe (including 487 bp upstream and 80 bp downstream of the translation start site) was synthesized by PCR with oligonucleotides 158 and 162. In each case, the sequence ladder (A, C, G, and T) was extended from the same primer and used as a size marker. (A) Time course of ftsZ transcription in the wild-type strain during phosphate starvation. Total RNA was prepared from vegetative cells (V) and phosphate-starved cells for 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. E. coli tRNA served as the negative control. (B) ftsZ transcripts in the class III mutants during phosphate starvation. Total RNA was prepared from class III developmental mutant SKK1015 (class IIIA) during vegetative growth (V) and after phosphate starvation for 2, 4, and 6 h. Tveg, Tspo, Tspo2, and Tcon indicate the vegetative, major sporulation-specific, minor sporulation-specific, and constant transcripts, respectively.