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Journal of Bacteriology, September 2008, p. 6148-6152, Vol. 190, No. 18
0021-9193/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00789-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The Bacillus cereus GerN and GerT Protein Homologs Have Distinct Roles in Spore Germination and Outgrowth, Respectively{triangledown}

Adam Senior and Anne Moir*

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom

Received 5 June 2008/ Accepted 11 July 2008

The GerT protein of Bacillus cereus shares 74% amino acid identity with its homolog GerN. The latter is a Na+/H+-K+ antiporter that is required for normal spore germination in inosine. The germination properties of single and double mutants of B. cereus ATCC 10876 reveal that unlike GerN, which is required for all germination responses that involve the GerI germinant receptor, the GerT protein does not have a significant role in germination, although it is required for the residual GerI-mediated inosine germination response of a gerN mutant. In contrast, GerT has a significant role in outgrowth; gerT mutant spores do not outgrow efficiently under alkaline conditions and outgrow more slowly than the wild type in the presence of high NaCl concentrations. The GerT protein in B. cereus therefore contributes to the success of spore outgrowth from the germinated state during alkaline or Na+ stress.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Dept. of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0)1142224418. Fax: 44 (0)1142222800. E-mail: a.moir{at}sheffield.ac.uk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 18 July 2008.

Journal of Bacteriology, September 2008, p. 6148-6152, Vol. 190, No. 18
0021-9193/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00789-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Paredes-Sabja, D., Setlow, P., Sarker, M. R. (2009). GerO, a Putative Na+/H+-K+ Antiporter, Is Essential for Normal Germination of Spores of the Pathogenic Bacterium Clostridium perfringens. J. Bacteriol. 191: 3822-3831 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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