Efficient regulation of sigmaF, the first sporulation-specific sigma factor in B.subtilis

Journal of Molecular Biology
Joanna ClarksonMichael D Yudkin

Abstract

Differential gene expression is established in the prespore and mother-cell compartments of Bacillus subtilis through the successive activation of a series of cell-type-specific sigma factors. Crucial to the success of this process is the control of the first prespore-specific sigma factor, sigmaF. sigmaF is regulated by the proteins SpoIIAB, SpoIIAA and SpoIIE. SpoIIAB forms an inhibitory complex with sigmaF, which can be dissociated by interaction with SpoIIAA. During this interaction SpoIIAA is phosphorylated. SpoIIE is a membrane-bound phosphatase that dephosphorylates SpoIIAA, thereby re-activating it. It is not understood how sigmaF is activated specifically in the prespore but not in the mother cell. Here, we use a recently developed fluorescence spectroscopy technique to follow in real time the formation of sigmaF.SpoIIAB complexes and their dissociation by SpoIIAA. We show that complete activation of sigmaF is induced by a tenfold increase in SpoIIE activity. This result demonstrates that relatively small changes in SpoIIE activity, which could arise from asymmetric septation, can achieve the all-or-nothing response in sigmaF activity required by the cell. For long-term sigmaF activation, we find that sustained SpoIIE ...Continue Reading

References

Oct 1, 1996·Genes to Cells : Devoted to Molecular & Cellular Mechanisms·P J LewisJ Errington
Aug 19, 2003·Journal of Bacteriology·Qi Pan, Richard Losick
Mar 24, 2004·Nature Reviews. Microbiology·Jeff Errington

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Citations

May 20, 2006·Nature·Dagmar IberIain D Campbell
Nov 22, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jatin NarulaOleg A Igoshin
Aug 25, 2009·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Andrew E GreensteinTom Alber
Sep 8, 2010·Protein Engineering, Design & Selection : PEDS·Andrea E RawlingsAnthony J Wilkinson
Nov 26, 2011·Journal of Molecular Biology·Vladimir M LevdikovAnthony J Wilkinson
Jul 28, 2005·Molecular Microbiology·Imrich Barák, Anthony J Wilkinson

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