Bacillus subtilis sporulation and stationary phase gene expression

Phillips, Zoë E.V.; Strauch, Mark A.

doi:10.1007/s00018-002-8431-9

Cited by 177 publications

(183 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…AbrB is a transitionstate regulator that represses transcription of several B. subtilis genes during exponential phase and is inactive under conditions of nutrient limitation and high cell density (reviewed in ref. 46). We found that transcription of rapI, measured with a rapI-lacZ promoter fusion, increased Ϸ5-fold in an abrB mutant (CAL26), relative to wild-type cells (CAL15), indicating that AbrB represses rapI transcription, either directly or indirectly.…”

Section: Regulation Of Icebs1 Excision and Transfer By Intercellular mentioning

confidence: 82%

Regulation of a Bacillus subtilis mobile genetic element by intercellular signaling and the global DNA damage response

Auchtung

Lee

Monson

et al. 2005

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

246

523

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Horizontal gene transfer contributes to the evolution of bacterial species. Mobile genetic elements play an important role in horizontal gene transfer, and characterization of the regulation of these elements should provide insight into conditions that influence bacterial evolution. We characterized a mobile genetic element, ICEBs1, in the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis and found that it is a functional integrative and conjugative element (ICE) capable of transferring to Bacillus and Listeria species. We identified two conditions that promote ICEBs1 transfer: conditions that induce the global DNA damage response and crowding by potential recipients that lack ICEBs1. Transfer of ICEBs1 into cells that already contain the element is inhibited by an intercellular signaling peptide encoded by ICEBs1. The dual regulation of ICEBs1 allows for passive propagation in the host cell until either the potential mating partners lacking ICEBs1 are present or the host cell is in distress.conjugation ͉ horizontal gene transfer ͉ quorum sensing ͉ peptide signaling ͉ DNA microarrays

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Section: Regulation Of Icebs1 Excision and Transfer By Intercellular mentioning

confidence: 82%

Regulation of a Bacillus subtilis mobile genetic element by intercellular signaling and the global DNA damage response

Auchtung

Lee

Monson

et al. 2005

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

246

523

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“…Each cell type receives a copy of the bacterial chromosome, and deploys specific but interdependent genetic programmes controlled by the successive appearance of the s F , s E , s G and s K subunits of RNA polymerase (reviewed by Errington, 2003;Hilbert & Piggot, 2004;Stragier & Losick, 1996). Entry into sporulation is induced by nutrient starvation, and is mainly controlled through phosphorylation of the Spo0A response regulator (Burbulys et al, 1991;Phillips & Strauch, 2002;Sonenshein, 2000). Spo0A~P controls the expression of a large regulon which includes the genes encoding the first compartment-specific regulators s F and s E , as well as genes required for the asymmetric partitioning of the cell (Errington, 2003;Hilbert & Piggot, 2004;Stragier & Losick, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genome-wide analysis of temporally regulated and compartment-specific gene expression in sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis

et al. 2005

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Temporal and compartment-specific control of gene expression during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis is governed by a cascade of four RNA polymerase subunits. s F in the prespore and s E in the mother cell control early stages of development, and are replaced at later stages by s G and s K , respectively. Ultimately, a comprehensive description of the molecular mechanisms underlying spore morphogenesis requires the knowledge of all the intervening genes and their assignment to specific regulons. Here, in an extension of earlier work, DNA macroarrays have been used, and members of the four compartment-specific sporulation regulons have been identified. Genes were identified and grouped based on: i) their temporal expression profile and ii) the use of mutants for each of the four sigma factors and a bofA allele, which allows s K activation in the absence of s G . As a further test, artificial production of active alleles of the sigma factors in non-sporulating cells was employed. A total of 439 genes were found, including previously characterized genes whose transcription is induced during sporulation: 55 in the s F regulon, 154 s E -governed genes, 113 s G -dependent genes, and 132 genes under s K control. The results strengthen the view that the activities of s F , s E , s G and s K are largely compartmentalized, both temporally as well as spatially, and that the major vegetative sigma factor (s A ) is active throughout sporulation. The results provide a dynamic picture of the changes in the overall pattern of gene expression in the two compartments of the sporulating cell, and offer insight into the roles of the prespore and the mother cell at different times of spore morphogenesis.

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“…Other genes, such as those for spore formation, have weak binding sites and are only activated when 0A∼P accumulates to high levels (5, 7). The accumulation of 0A∼P is governed by a regulatory network built around a four-component cascade in which the relay protein Spo0F (0F) is phosphorylated by KinA and other kinases (6,8). 0F∼P, in turn, transfers the phosphate to Spo0B (0B), which transfers the phosphate to 0A (Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, the fourth pathway (0A∼P┤ abrB┤ spo0E) is a negative feedback loop in that 0E drains phosphates from the relay (for review see ref. 8).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Broadly heterogeneous activation of the master regulator for sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

Chastanet

Vitkup

Yuan

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

129

160

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A model system for investigating how developmental regulatory networks determine cell fate is spore formation in Bacillus subtilis. The master regulator for sporulation is Spo0A, which is activated by phosphorylation via a phosphorelay that is subject to three positive feedback loops. The ultimate decision to sporulate is, however, stochastic in that only a portion of the population sporulates even under optimal conditions. It was previously assumed that activation of Spo0A and hence entry into sporulation is subject to a bistable switch mediated by one or more feedback loops. Here we reinvestigate the basis for bimodality in sporulation. We show that none of the feedback loops is rate limiting for the synthesis and phosphorylation of Spo0A. Instead, the loops ensure a just-in-time supply of relay components for rising levels of phosphorylated Spo0A, with phosphate flux through the relay being limiting for Spo0A activation and sporulation. In addition, genes under Spo0A control did not exhibit a bimodal pattern of expression as expected for a bistable switch. In contrast, we observed a highly heterogeneous pattern of Spo0A activation that increased in a nonlinear manner with time. We present a computational model for the nonlinear increase and propose that the phosphorelay is a noise generator and that only cells that attain a threshold level of phosphorylated Spo0A sporulate.A challenge in developmental biology is to understand how cells in an apparently homogeneous population adopt different fates. An attractive organism in which to address this challenge is Bacillus subtilis, which can adopt a variety of alternative fates depending on growth conditions (1-3). In some cases, cell population heterogeneity is generated stochastically. That is, fluctuations in gene expression due to noise can be amplified by feedback loops to lock cells in alternative stable states, resulting in a bimodal distribution of cell types. This is exemplified by genetic competence in which a positive feedback loop acting as a bistable switch creates such a distribution (2, 4). We use bimodal to mean systems that exhibit two discrete states and bistable to specify a class of bimodal systems in which nonlinear reinforcement stabilizes the alternative states. Here we are concerned with bimodality in the capacity of B. subtilis to sporulate.The master regulator for entry into sporulation, Spo0A (0A), accumulates gradually over the first 90 min of sporulation (5) (Fig. S1.) and is only active in its phosphorylated form (0A∼P) (6). Some genes under its control, such as those involved in biofilm formation and cannibalism, have strong binding sites for 0A∼P and are switched ON at low levels of 0A∼P. Other genes, such as those for spore formation, have weak binding sites and are only activated when 0A∼P accumulates to high levels (5, 7). The accumulation of 0A∼P is governed by a regulatory network built around a four-component cascade in which the relay protein Spo0F (0F) is phosphorylated by KinA and other kinases (6,8). 0F∼P, in turn, transfer...

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Bacillus subtilis sporulation and stationary phase gene expression

Cited by 177 publications

References 81 publications

Regulation of a Bacillus subtilis mobile genetic element by intercellular signaling and the global DNA damage response

Regulation of a Bacillus subtilis mobile genetic element by intercellular signaling and the global DNA damage response

Genome-wide analysis of temporally regulated and compartment-specific gene expression in sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis

Broadly heterogeneous activation of the master regulator for sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

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