DNA rearrangement in spore-forming bacteria

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24580130
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: Hosei University
• Principal Investigator: SATO Tsutomu 法政大学, 生命科学部, 教授 (70215812)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 細菌 / ファージ / DNA再編成 / 細胞分化 / 枯草菌 / 遺伝子発現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Integration of prophages into protein-coding sequences of the host chromosome generally results in loss of function of the interrupted gene. We have shown that several phage (-like) elements are inserted into mother cell-specific sporulation genes in many spore-forming bacteria. Remarkably, functional sporulation genes are reconstituted during sporulation by limiting prophage excision to the mother cell genome. We have also reported that an active prophage, SPβ, is inserted into a polysaccharide synthesis gene, spsM, which is expressed in the mother cell during sporulation in B. subtilis. SPβ excision can occur either during the phage lytic cycle or during sporulation to reconstitute a functional spsM gene. Our results suggest that this type of gene reconstitution is a common mechanism in spore-forming bacteria.

Free Research Field

農学