hag expression in Bacillus subtilis is both negatively and positively regulated by ScoC

Microbiology (Reading). 2009 Jan;155(Pt 1):142-149. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.021899-0.

Abstract

In Bacillus subtilis, motility and chemotaxis require the expression of hag, which encodes flagellin. This gene is transcribed by the sigma(D) form of RNA polymerase and is regulated by a group of proteins called transition state regulators (TSRs). Our studies show that hag transcription is negatively regulated by the transition state regulator ScoC, by binding to its promoter. Furthermore, ScoC, indirectly, also positively regulates hag by increasing the availability of sigma(D) by downregulating the levels of the anti-sigma(D)-factor FlgM. We further show that the positive regulation by ScoC predominates over the negative regulation.

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / genetics
  • Bacillus subtilis / metabolism*
  • Bacillus subtilis / physiology
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Chemotaxis
  • Flagellin / chemistry
  • Flagellin / genetics
  • Flagellin / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • ScoC protein, Bacillus subtilis
  • Transcription Factors
  • Flagellin
  • FlgM protein, Bacteria