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Journal of Bacteriology, June 2007, p. 4375-4383, Vol. 189, No. 12
0021-9193/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00110-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Role of Chromosomal and Plasmid-Borne Receptor Homologues in the Response of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 Spores to Germinants{triangledown}

Graham Christie* and Christopher R. Lowe

Institute of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QT, United Kingdom

Received 20 January 2007/ Accepted 3 April 2007

Spores of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 germinate in response to a number of trigger compounds, including glucose, proline, leucine, and inorganic salts. An approximate 6-kb region of the 165-kb plasmid was found to harbor a tricistronic receptor operon, gerU, and a monocistronic receptor component, gerVB. The gerU operon was observed to complement the germination response in plasmidless strain PV361 to glucose and leucine, with KBr acting as a cogerminant. Proline recognition is conferred by the monocistronic gerVB gene, the presence of which also improves the germination response to other single-trigger compounds. A chimeric receptor, GerU*, demonstrates interchangeability between receptor components and provides evidence that it is the B protein of the receptor that determines germinant specificity. Introduction of the gerU/gerVB gene cluster to B. megaterium KM extends the range of germinants recognized by this strain to include glucose, proline, and KBr in addition to alanine and leucine. A chromosomally encoded receptor, GerA, the B component of which is predicted to be truncated, was found to be functionally redundant. Similarly, the plasmid-borne antiporter gene, grmA, identified previously as being essential for germination in QM B1551, did not complement the germination defect in the plasmidless variant PV361. Wild-type spores carrying an insertion-deletion mutation in this cistron germinated normally; thus, the role of GrmA in spore germination needs to be reevaluated in this species.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, England, CB2 1QT. Phone: 44 1223 764959. Fax: 44 1223 334162. E-mail: gc301{at}cam.ac.uk

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 13 April 2007.

Journal of Bacteriology, June 2007, p. 4375-4383, Vol. 189, No. 12
0021-9193/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.00110-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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