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Journal of Bacteriology, February 2003, p. 879-886, Vol. 185, No. 3
0021-9193/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.185.3.879-886.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Postdivisional Synthesis of the Sporosarcina ureae DNA Translocase SpoIIIE either in the Mother Cell or in the Prespore Enables Bacillus subtilis To Translocate DNA from the Mother Cell to the Prespore

Vasant K. Chary and Patrick J. Piggot*

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140

Received 6 September 2002/ Accepted 7 November 2002

The differentiation of vegetative cells of Bacillus subtilis into spores involves asymmetric cell division, which precedes complete chromosome partitioning. The DNA translocase SpoIIIE is required to translocate the origin distal 70% of the chromosome from the larger mother cell into the smaller prespore, the two cells that result from the division. We have tested the effect of altering the time and location of SpoIIIE synthesis on spore formation. We have expressed the spoIIIE homologue from Sporosarcina ureae in B. subtilis under the control of different promoters. Expression from either a weak mother cell-specific ({sigma}E) promoter or a weak prespore-specific ({sigma}F) promoter partly complemented the sporulation defect of a spoIIIE36 mutant; however, expression from a strong prespore-specific ({sigma}F) promoter did not. DNA translocation from the mother cell to the prespore was assayed using spoIIQ-lacZ inserted at thrC; transcription of spoIIQ occurs only in the prespore. Translocation of thrC::spoIIQ-lacZ into the prespore occurred efficiently when spoIIIESu was expressed from the weak {sigma}E- or {sigma}F-controlled promoters but not when it was expressed from the strong {sigma}F-controlled promoter. It is speculated that the mechanism directing SpoIIIE insertion into the septum in the correct orientation may accommodate slow postseptational, prespore-specific SpoIIIE synthesis but may be swamped by strong prespore-specific synthesis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Temple University School of Medicine, 3400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19140. Phone: (215) 707-7927. Fax: (215) 707-7788. E-mail: piggotp{at}temple.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, February 2003, p. 879-886, Vol. 185, No. 3
0021-9193/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.185.3.879-886.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Chary, V. K., Meloni, M., Hilbert, D. W., Piggot, P. J. (2005). Control of the Expression and Compartmentalization of {sigma}G Activity during Sporulation of Bacillus subtilis by Regulators of {sigma}F and {sigma}E. J. Bacteriol. 187: 6832-6840 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hilbert, D. W., Piggot, P. J. (2004). Compartmentalization of Gene Expression during Bacillus subtilis Spore Formation. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 68: 234-262 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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