The effects of insertional mutations in comQ, comP, srfA, spo0H, spo0A and abrB genes on bacilysin biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract

In Bacillus subtilis, two extracellular signaling peptides, ComX pheromone and CSF (competence and sporulation factor), stimulate the development of genetic competence and surfaction biosynthesis in response to high cell density (quorum sensing) by regulating the activity of transcription factor ComA. We recently showed that biosynthesis of dipeptide antibiotic bacilysin is linked to ComA and PhrC(CSF) in a Spo0K(Opp)-dependent manner by constructing phrC-, comA- and oppA-disrupted mutants of B. subtilis. In the present study, another pathway of quorum-sensing global regulation, namely, ComQ/ComX was found to be essential for bacilysin biosynthesis. ComP function in this chain was dispensable, most probably because of the existence of an alternative mean of ComA activation. The disruption of srfA operon in the bacilysin producer resulted with the bacilysin-negative phenotype; thus, our study verified that the srfA operon functions directly in the production of bacilysin. The abrB mutation suppressed the bacilysin-negative phenotype of a spo0A mutant, whereas the same mutation in the wild-type strain resulted in a significant increase in the production of bacilysin. This indicated that abrB gene product negatively controls the transcription of the gene(s) involved in bacilysin formation.

• Authors: Ayten Yazgan Karataş, Seçil Cetin, Gülay Ozcengiz
• Journal: Biochimica et biophysica acta (Biochim Biophys Acta) Vol. 1626 Issue 1-3 Pg. 51-6 (Apr 15 2003) ISSN: 0006-3002 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 12697329 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• AbrB protein, Bacillus subtilis
• Bacterial Proteins
• DNA-Binding Proteins
• Dipeptides
• Membrane Proteins
• Spo0A protein, Bacillus subtilis
• Spo0H protein, Bacillus subtilis
• Transcription Factors
• comQ protein, Bacillus subtilis
• bacilysin
• Transferases
• comP protein, Bacillus subtilis
• Peptide Synthases
• surfactin synthetase

Topics

• Bacillus subtilis (genetics, growth & development, metabolism)
• Bacterial Proteins (genetics, physiology)
• DNA-Binding Proteins (genetics, physiology)
• Dipeptides (biosynthesis)
• Genes, Bacterial
• Membrane Proteins (genetics, physiology)
• Mutagenesis, Insertional
• Mutation
• Operon
• Peptide Synthases (genetics, physiology)
• Transcription Factors (genetics, physiology)
• Transferases