This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kanamaru, K. Articles by Perego, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kanamaru, K. Articles by Perego, M.

Overexpression of the PepF Oligopeptidase Inhibits Sporulation Initiation in Bacillus subtilis

Kyoko Kanamaru,^, Sophie Stephenson, and Marta Perego^*

Division of Cellular Biology, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037

Received 12 July 2001/ Accepted 9 October 2001

The yjbG gene encoding the homologue of the PepF1 and PepF2 oligoendopeptidases of Lactococcus lactis (Monnet et al., J. Biol. Chem. 269:32070–32076, 1994; Nardi et al., J. Bacteriol. 179:4164–4171, 1997) has been identified in Bacillus subtilis as an inhibitor of sporulation initiation when present in the cells on a multicopy plasmid. Genetic analysis suggested that the inhibitory effect is due to hydrolysis of the PhrA peptide in a form as small as the pentapeptide (ARNQT). Inactivation of PhrA results in deregulation of the RapA phosphatase and thus dephosphorylation of the Spo0FP response regulator component of the phosphorelay for sporulation initiation. When overexpressed, the B. subtilis PepF is most likely hydrolyzing additional peptides of the Phr family, as is the case for PhrC involved in control of competence development. Chromosomal inactivation of the yjbG/pepF gene did not give rise to any detectable phenotype. The function of PepF in B. subtilis remains unknown. Limited experiments with a yjbG paralogue called yusX indicated that a frameshift is present, making the corresponding gene product inactive.

This is publication 12192-MEM from the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute.

Present address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Thomaides, H. B., Davison, E. J., Burston, L., Johnson, H., Brown, D. R., Hunt, A. C., Errington, J., Czaplewski, L. (2007). Essential Bacterial Functions Encoded by Gene Pairs. J. Bacteriol. 189: 591-602 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Chao, S.-H., Cheng, T.-H., Shaw, C.-Y., Lee, M.-H., Hsu, Y.-H., Tsai, Y.-C. (2006). Characterization of a Novel PepF-Like Oligopeptidase Secreted by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 23-7A. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 968-971 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gitton, C., Meyrand, M., Wang, J., Caron, C., Trubuil, A., Guillot, A., Mistou, M.-Y. (2005). Proteomic Signature of Lactococcus lactis NCDO763 Cultivated in Milk. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 7152-7163 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gottig, N., Pedrido, M. E., Mendez, M., Lombardia, E., Rovetto, A., Philippe, V., Orsaria, L., Grau, R. (2005). The Bacillus subtilis SinR and RapA Developmental Regulators Are Responsible for Inhibition of Spore Development by Alcohol. J. Bacteriol. 187: 2662-2672 [Abstract] [Full Text]