DNA-damage-inducible (din) loci are transcriptionally activated in competent Bacillus subtilis

Journal Article · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.82.18.6201· OSTI ID:6169030

Love, P E; Lyle, M J; Yasbin, R E

DNA damage-inducible (din) operon fusions were generated in Bacillus subtilis by transpositional mutagenesis. These YB886(din::Tn917-lacZ) fusion isolates produced increased ..beta..-galactosidase when exposed to mitomycin C, UV radiation, or ethyl methanesulfonate, indicating that the lacZ structural gene had inserted into host transcriptional units that are induced by a variety of DNA-damaging agents. One of the fusion strains was DNA-repair deficient and phenotypically resembled a UV-sensitive mutant of B. subtilis. Induction of ..beta..-galactosidase also occurred in the competent subpopulation of each of the din fusion strains, independent of exposure to DNA-damaging agents. Both the DNA-damage-inducible and competence-inducible components of ..beta..-galactosidase expression were abolished by the recE4 mutation, which inhibits SOS-like (SOB) induction but does not interfere with the development of the component state. The results indicate that gene expression is stimulated at specific loci within the B. subtilis chromosome both by DNA-damaging agents and by the development of competence and that this response is under the control of the SOB regulatory system. Furthermore, they demonstrate that at the molecular level SOB induction and the development of competence are interrelated cellular events.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-81ER60017
• OSTI ID: 6169030
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States) Vol. 82:18; ISSN PNASA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560131* -- Radiation Effects on Microorganisms-- Basic Studies-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
ANTIBIOTICS
ANTIMITOTIC DRUGS
ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS
BACILLUS
BACILLUS SUBTILIS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
DNA
DNA REPAIR
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMS
ENZYMES
ESTERS
GALACTOSIDASE
GENE OPERONS
GENES
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HYDROLASES
MICROORGANISMS
MITOMYCIN
MUTAGENS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
TRANSCRIPTION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION