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PMID: 15383836 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

The program of gene transcription for a single differentiating cell type during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.

PLoS biology ·Vol. 2 ·No. 10 ·2004-10-00 ·Pages e328

Eichenberger P, Fujita M, Jensen ST, Conlon EM, Rudner DZ, Wang ST, Ferguson C, Haga K, Sato T, Liu JS, Losick R

Abstract

Asymmetric division during sporulation by Bacillus subtilis generates a mother cell that undergoes a 5-h program of differentiation. The program is governed by a hierarchical cascade consisting of the transcription factors: sigma(E), sigma(K), GerE, GerR, and SpoIIID. The program consists of the activation and repression of 383 genes. The sigma(E) factor turns on 262 genes, including those for GerR and SpoIIID. These DNA-binding proteins downregulate almost half of the genes in the sigma(E) regulon. In addition, SpoIIID turns on ten genes, including genes involved in the appearance of sigma(K). Next, sigma(K) activates 75 additional genes, including that for GerE. This DNA-binding protein, in turn, represses half of the genes that had been activated by sigma(K) while switching on a final set of 36 genes. Evidence is presented that repression and activation contribute to proper morphogenesis. The program of gene expression is driven forward by its hierarchical organization and by the repressive effects of the DNA-binding proteins. The logic of the program is that of a linked series of feed-forward loops, which generate successive pulses of gene transcription. Similar regulatory circuits could be a common feature of other systems of cellular differentiation.

MeSH Terms
Amino Acid Motifs Bacillus subtilis/genetics,physiology Bacterial Physiological Phenomena Bacterial Proteins/chemistry,genetics Binding Sites Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Chromosome Mapping Computational Biology/methods DNA/chemistry,genetics Deoxyribonuclease I/metabolism Down-Regulation Gene Expression Regulation Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Genes, Bacterial Models, Genetic Models, Statistical Molecular Sequence Data Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis Plasmids/metabolism Polymerase Chain Reaction Promoter Regions, Genetic Protein Binding Spores, Bacterial/chemistry Transcription, Genetic beta-Galactosidase/metabolism
Chemicals
Bacterial Proteins spore-specific proteins, Bacillus DNA Deoxyribonuclease I beta-Galactosidase
Authors & Affiliations
11 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Eichenberger Patrick
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Fujita Masaya
Jensen Shane T
Conlon Erin M
Rudner David Z
Wang Stephanie T
Ferguson Caitlin
Haga Koki
Sato Tsutomu
Liu Jun S
Losick Richard
Conflict of Interest

The authors have declared that no conflicts of interest exist.

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Article Info
Journal
PLoS biology
Abbr.
PLoS Biol
ISSN
1545-7885
DOI
10.1371/journal.pbio.0020328
Published
2004-10-00
Epub
2004-00-21
Pages
e328
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101183755
PMCID
PMC517825
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · F32 GM018458 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM18458 · United States
Databases
GENBANK
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External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0020328 PMC Full Text View journal details
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