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Science 27 January 1989:
Vol. 243. no. 4890, pp. 526 - 529
DOI: 10.1126/science.2492118
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Articles

Science, Vol 243, Issue 4890, 526-529
Copyright © 1989 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Switch protein alters specificity of RNA polymerase containing a compartment-specific sigma factor

L Kroos, B Kunkel, and R Losick

Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.

During sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, expression of developmental genes spoIVCB and cotD is induced in the mother cell compartment of the sporangium at morphological stages IV and V, respectively. A 27-kilodalton RNA polymerase sigma factor called sigma K (or sigma 27) has been found that causes weak transcription of spoIVCB and strong transcription of cotD. A 14-kD protein was also discovered that changes the specificity of sigma K-containing RNA polymerase, greatly stimulating spoIVCB transcription and markedly repressing cotD transcription. Both sigma K and the 14-kD protein are products of genes known to be required for expression of specific genes in the mother cell. Thus, sigma K directs gene expression in the mother cell and it is proposed that inactivation or sequestering of the 14-kD protein switches the temporal pattern of gene expression during the transition from stages IV to V of development.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Sporulation and Enterotoxin (CPE) Synthesis Are Controlled by the Sporulation-Specific Sigma Factors SigE and SigK in Clostridium perfringens.
K. H. Harry, R. Zhou, L. Kroos, and S. B. Melville (2009)
J. Bacteriol. 191, 2728-2742
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
One Perturbation of the Mother Cell Gene Regulatory Network Suppresses the Effects of Another during Sporulation of Bacillus subtilis.
L. Wang, J. Perpich, A. Driks, and L. Kroos (2007)
J. Bacteriol. 189, 8467-8473
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Maintaining the Transcription Factor SpoIIID Level Late during Sporulation Causes Spore Defects in Bacillus subtilis.
L. Wang, J. Perpich, A. Driks, and L. Kroos (2007)
J. Bacteriol. 189, 7302-7309
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
SpoIVB and CtpB Are Both Forespore Signals in the Activation of the Sporulation Transcription Factor {sigma}K in Bacillus subtilis.
N. Campo and D. Z. Rudner (2007)
J. Bacteriol. 189, 6021-6027
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Timing of cotE Expression Affects Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat Morphology but Not Lysozyme Resistance.
T. Costa, M. Serrano, L. Steil, U. Volker, C. P. Moran Jr., and A. O. Henriques (2007)
J. Bacteriol. 189, 2401-2410
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Substrate Requirements for Regulated Intramembrane Proteolysis of Bacillus subtilis Pro-{sigma}K.
H. Prince, R. Zhou, and L. Kroos (2005)
J. Bacteriol. 187, 961-971
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Genome-wide analysis of temporally regulated and compartment-specific gene expression in sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis.
L. Steil, M. Serrano, A. O. Henriques, and U. Volker (2005)
Microbiology 151, 399-420
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
spoIVH (ykvV), a Requisite Cortex Formation Gene, Is Expressed in Both Sporulating Compartments of Bacillus subtilis.
D. Imamura, K. Kobayashi, J. Sekiguchi, N. Ogasawara, M. Takeuchi, and T. Sato (2004)
J. Bacteriol. 186, 5450-5459
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Compartmentalization of Gene Expression during Bacillus subtilis Spore Formation.
D. W. Hilbert and P. J. Piggot (2004)
Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 68, 234-262
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
BofA protein inhibits intramembrane proteolysis of pro-{sigma}K in an intercompartmental signaling pathway during Bacillus subtilis sporulation.
R. Zhou and L. Kroos (2004)
PNAS 101, 6385-6390
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Second PDZ-Containing Serine Protease Contributes to Activation of the Sporulation Transcription Factor {sigma}K in Bacillus subtilis.
Q. Pan, R. Losick, and D. Z. Rudner (2003)
J. Bacteriol. 185, 6051-6056
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A sporulation membrane protein tethers the pro-sigma K processing enzyme to its inhibitor and dictates its subcellular localization.
D. Z. Rudner and R. Losick (2002)
Genes & Dev. 16, 1007-1018
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Regulation of Cellular Differentiation in Filamentous Cyanobacteria in Free-Living and Plant-Associated Symbiotic Growth States.
J. C. Meeks and J. Elhai (2002)
Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 66, 94-121
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evidence that SpoIVFB Is a Novel Type of Membrane Metalloprotease Governing Intercompartmental Communication during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation.
Y.-T. N. Yu and L. Kroos (2000)
J. Bacteriol. 182, 3305-3309
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Combined Action of Two Transcription Factors Regulates Genes Encoding Spore Coat Proteins of Bacillus subtilis.
H. Ichikawa and L. Kroos (2000)
J. Biol. Chem. 275, 13849-13855
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
From the Cover: A family of membrane-embedded metalloproteases involved in regulated proteolysis of membrane-associated transcription factors.
D. Z. Rudner, P. Fawcett, and R. Losick (1999)
PNAS 96, 14765-14770
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Role of the Sporulation Protein BofA in Regulating Activation of the Bacillus subtilis Developmental Transcription Factor sigma K.
O. Resnekov (1999)
J. Bacteriol. 181, 5384-5388
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Sigma Factor Displacement from RNA Polymerase during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation.
J. Ju, T. Mitchell, H. Peters III, and W. G. Haldenwang (1999)
J. Bacteriol. 181, 4969-4977
   Abstract »    Full Text »
A Region of sigma K Involved in Promoter Activation by GerE in Bacillus subtilis.
K. H. Wade, G. Schyns, J. A. Opdyke, and C. P. Moran Jr. (1999)
J. Bacteriol. 181, 4365-4373
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Negative Regulation by the Bacillus subtilis GerE Protein.
H. Ichikawa, R. Halberg, and L. Kroos (1999)
J. Biol. Chem. 274, 8322-8327
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat.
A. Driks (1999)
Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 63, 1-20
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Dual Promoters Are Responsible for Transcription Initiation of the fla/che Operon in Bacillus subtilis.
W. Estacio, S. S. Anna-Arriola, M. Adedipe, and L. M. Márquez-Magaña (1998)
J. Bacteriol. 180, 3548-3555
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A Spore Coat Protein, CotS, of Bacillus subtilis Is Synthesized under the Regulation of sigma K and GerE during Development and Is Located in the Inner Coat Layer of Spores.
H. Takamatsu, Y. Chikahiro, T. Kodama, H. Koide, S. Kozuka, K. Tochikubo, and K. Watabe (1998)
J. Bacteriol. 180, 2968-2974
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Activation of the Proprotein Transcription Factor Pro-sigma E Is Associated with Its Progression through Three Patterns of Subcellular Localization during Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.
A. Hofmeister (1998)
J. Bacteriol. 180, 2426-2433
   Abstract »    Full Text »
The Prosequence of Pro-sigma K Promotes Membrane Association and Inhibits RNA Polymerase Core Binding.
B. Zhang, A. Hofmeister, and L. Kroos (1998)
J. Bacteriol. 180, 2434-2441
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Negative regulation of the proteolytic activation of a developmental transcription factor in Bacillus subtilis.
O. Resnekov and R. Losick (1998)
PNAS 95, 3162-3167
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Role of the Pro Sequence of Bacillus subtilis sigma K in Controlling Activity in Transcription Initiation.
B. D. Johnson and A. J. Dombroski (1997)
J. Biol. Chem. 272, 31029-31035
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Subcellular localization of proteins involved in the assembly of the spore coat of Bacillus subtilis..
A Driks, S Roels, B Beall, C P Moran, and R Losick (1994)
Genes & Dev. 8, 234-244
   Abstract »    PDF »
Amino-terminal amino acids modulate sigma-factor DNA-binding activity..
A J Dombroski, W A Walter, and C A Gross (1993)
Genes & Dev. 7, 2446-2455
   Abstract »    PDF »
Forespore-specific transcription of a gene in the signal transduction pathway that governs Pro-sigma K processing in Bacillus subtilis..
S Cutting, A Driks, R Schmidt, B Kunkel, and R Losick (1991)
Genes & Dev. 5, 456-466
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Bacillus subtilis gene for the development transcription factor sigma K is generated by excision of a dispensable DNA element containing a sporulation recombinase gene..
B Kunkel, R Losick, and P Stragier (1990)
Genes & Dev. 4, 525-535
   Abstract »    PDF »
Temporal and spatial control of the mother-cell regulatory gene spoIIID of Bacillus subtilis..
B Kunkel, L Kroos, H Poth, P Youngman, and R Losick (1989)
Genes & Dev. 3, 1735-1744
   Abstract »    PDF »
Chromosomal rearrangement generating a composite gene for a developmental transcription factor.
P Stragier, B Kunkel, L Kroos, and R Losick (1989)
Science 243, 507-512
   Abstract »    PDF »
Development of a two-part transcription probe to determine the completeness of temporal and spatial compartmentalization of gene expression during bacterial development.
Z. Li and P. J. Piggot (2001)
PNAS 98, 12538-12543
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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