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Journal of Bacteriology, July 2008, p. 4660-4665, Vol. 190, No. 13
0021-9193/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00252-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Extracytoplasmic Processes Impaired by Inactivation of trxA (Thioredoxin Gene) in Bacillus subtilis

Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden

Received 19 February 2008/ Accepted 27 April 2008

The trxA gene is regarded as essential in Bacillus subtilis, but the roles of the TrxA protein in this gram-positive bacterium are largely unknown. Inactivation of trxA results in deoxyribonucleoside and cysteine or methionine auxotrophy. This phenotype is expected if the TrxA protein is important for the activity of the class Ib ribonucleotide reductase and adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate/3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate reductase. We demonstrate here that a TrxA deficiency in addition causes defects in endospore and cytochrome c synthesis. These effects were suppressed by BdbD deficiency, indicating that TrxA in the cytoplasm is the primary electron donor to several different thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases active on the outer side of the B. subtilis cytoplasmic membrane.

Published ahead of print on 2 May 2008.