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J. Bacteriol., Jun 1996, 3486-3495, Vol 178, No. 12
B Setlow and P Setlow
Wet-heat or hydrogen peroxide treatment of wild-type Bacillus subtilis
spores did not result in induction of lacZ fusions to three DNA repair-
related genes (dinR, recA, and uvrC) during spore outgrowth. However, these
genes were induced during outgrowth of wild-type spores treated with dry
heat or UV. Wet-heat, desiccation, dry-heat, or UV treatment of spores
lacking major DNA-binding proteins (termed alpha-beta- spores) also
resulted in induction of the three DNA repair genes during spore outgrowth.
Hydrogen peroxide treatment of alpha-beta-spores did not result in
induction of dinR- and rerA-lacZ but did cause induction of uvrC-lacZ
during spore outgrowth. Spores of a recA mutant were approximately twofold
more UV sensitive and approximately ninefold more sensitive to dry heat
than were wild-type spores but were no more sensitive to wet heat and
hydrogen peroxide. In contrast, alpha-beta- recA spores were significantly
more sensitive than were alpha-beta- spores to all four treatments, as well
as to desiccation. Surprisingly, RecA levels were quite low in dormant
spores, but RecA was synthesized during spore outgrowth. Taken together,
these data (i) are consistent with previous suggestions that some
treatments (dry heat and UV with wild-type spores; desiccation, dry and wet
heat, hydrogen peroxide, and UV with alpha-beta- spores) that kill spores
do so in large part by causing DNA damage and (ii) indicate that repair of
DNA damage during spore outgrowth is an important component of spore
resistance to a number of treatments, as has been shown previously for UV.
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology
Role of DNA repair in Bacillus subtilis spore resistance
Biochemistry Department, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030, USA.
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