Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

The Mechanistic Basis of Compartmentalized Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis

  • Published:
Natural Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Compartmentalized gene expression is essential for the development of multicellular organisms. Examples for compartmentalized gene expression can also be found among single-celled prokaryotes: sporulation in B. subtilis serves as a paradigm for the development of two different cell types (mother cell and prespore) from a single cell. The two different developmental programs are initiated when the transcription factor σF is released from an inhibitory complex in the smaller prespore but not in the mother cell. While the regulatory network that controls σF activity has long been known it has remained a conundrum how σF activity is restricted to the prespore. This review presents the latest model that has emerged from a mathematical analysis of the mechanism(s) by which asymmetric cell division leads to compartmentalized gene expression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • F Arigoni K Pogliano C Webb P Stragier R Losick (1995) ArticleTitleLocalization of protein implicated in establishment of cell type to sites of asymmetric division Science 270 637–640

    Google Scholar 

  • S Ben-Yehuda R Losick (2002) ArticleTitleAsymmetric cell division in B. subtilis involves a spiral-like intermediate of the cytokinetic protein FtsZ Cell 109 IssueID2 257–266

    Google Scholar 

  • EA Campbell S Masuda JL Sun O Muzzin CA Olson S Wang SA Darst (2002) ArticleTitleCrystal structure of the Bacillus stearothermophilus anti-sigma factor SpoIIAB with the sporulation sigma factor σF Cell 108 IssueID6 795–807 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0092-8674(02)00662-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K Carniol P Eichenberger R Losick (2004) ArticleTitleA threshold mechanism governing activation of the developmental regulatory protein σF in Bacillus subtilis Journal of Biological Chemistry 279 IssueID15 14860–14870 Occurrence Handle10.1074/jbc.M314274200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J Clarkson ID Campbell MD Yudkin (2004a) ArticleTitlePhysical evidence for the induced release of the Bacillus subtilis transcription factor, σF, from its inhibitory complex Journal of Molecular Biology 340 IssueID2 203–209 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.jmb.2004.04.061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J Clarkson ID Campbell MD Yudkin (2004b) ArticleTitleEfficient regulation of σF, the first sporulation-specific sigma factor in B.subtilis Journal of Molecular Biology 342 1187–1195 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.jmb.2004.07.090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D Coombs A Kalergis S Nathenson C Wofsy B Goldstein (2002) ArticleTitleActivated TCRs remain marked for internalization after dissociation from pMHC Nature Immunology 3 926–31 Occurrence Handle10.1038/ni838

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J Dworkin R Losick (2001) ArticleTitleDifferential gene expression governed by chromosomal spatial asymmetry Cell 107 339–346 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0092-8674(01)00528-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D Fell (1997) Understanding the Control of Metabolism Portland Press London

    Google Scholar 

  • A Feucht L Abbotts J Errington (2002) ArticleTitleThe cell differentiation protein SpoIIE contains a regulatory site that controls its phosphatase activity in response to asymmetric septation Molecular Microbiology 45 1119–1130 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2958.2002.03082.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P Fort PJ Piggot (1984) ArticleTitleNucleotide sequence of sporulation locus spoIIA in Bacillus subtilis Journal of General Microbiology 130 IssueID8 2147–2153

    Google Scholar 

  • N Frandsen I Barák C Karmazyn-Campelli P Stragier (1999) ArticleTitleTransient gene asymmetry during sporulation and establishment of cell specificity in Bacillus subtilis Genes Development 13 394–399

    Google Scholar 

  • R Gatenby P Maini (2003) ArticleTitleMathematical oncology: cancer summed up Nature 421 321 Occurrence Handle10.1038/421321a

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Heinrich TA Rapoport (1974) ArticleTitleA linear steady-state treatment of enzymatic chains. General properties, control and effector strength European Journal of Biochemistry 42 IssueID1 89–95

    Google Scholar 

  • R Heinrich S Schuster (1996) The Regulation of Cellular Systems Chapman and Hall New York

    Google Scholar 

  • DW Hilbert PJ Piggot (2004) ArticleTitleCompartmentalization of gene expression during Bacillus subtilis spore formation Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 68 IssueID2 234–262 Occurrence Handle10.1128/MMBR.68.2.234-262.2004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M Ho K Carniol R Losick (2003) ArticleTitleEvidence in support of a docking model for the release of the transcription factor σF from the antisigma factor SpoIIAB in Bacillus subtilis Journal of Biological Chemistry 278 20898–20905

    Google Scholar 

  • Iber D, Clarkson J, Yudkin MD and Campbell ID (2005) Differential gene expression in Bacillus subtilis. Preprint, available at http://arxiv.org/abs/q-bio.MN/0507015

  • A Khvorova L Zhang ML Higgins PJ Piggot (1998) ArticleTitleThe spoIIE locus is involved in the Spo0A-dependent switch in the location of FtsZ rings in Bacillus subtilis Journal of Bacteriology 180 IssueID5 1256–1260

    Google Scholar 

  • CS Lee I Lucet MD Yudkin (2000) ArticleTitleFate of the SpoIIAB*-ADP liberated after SpoIIAB phosphorylates SpoIIAA of Bacillus subtilis Journal of Bacteriology 182 IssueID21 6250–6253 Occurrence Handle10.1128/JB.182.21.6250-6253.2000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E Lee A Salic R Kruger R Heinrich MW Kirschner (2003a) ArticleTitleThe roles of APC and axin derived from experimental and theoretical analysis of the Wnt pathway PLoS Biol 1 1–E10

    Google Scholar 

  • K Lee A Dinner C Tu G Campi S Raychaudhuri R Varma T Sims W Burack H Wu J Wang O Kanagawa M Markiewicz P Allen M Dustin A Chakraborty A Shaw (2003b) ArticleTitleThe immunological synapse balances T cell receptor signaling and degradation Science 302 1218–1222

    Google Scholar 

  • M Lord D Barillà M Yudkin (1999) ArticleTitleReplacement of vegetative σA by sporulation-specific σF as a component of the RNA polymerase holoenzyme in sporulating Bacillus subtilis Journal of Bacteriology 181 2346–2350

    Google Scholar 

  • I Lucet R Borriss M Yudkin (1999) ArticleTitlePurification, kinetic properties, and intracellular concentration of SpoIIE, an integral membrane protein that regulates sporulation in Bacillus subtilis Journal of Bacteriology 181 3242–3245

    Google Scholar 

  • T Magnin M Lord M Yudkin (1997) ArticleTitleContribution of partner switching and SpoIIAA cycling to regulation of σF activity in sporulating Bacillus subtilis Journal of Bacteriology 179 3922–3927

    Google Scholar 

  • KT Min CM Hilditch B Diederich J Errington MD Yudkin (1993) ArticleTitleσF, the first compartment-specific transcription factor of B. subtilis, is regulated by an anti-sigma factor that is also a protein kinase Cell 74 IssueID4 735–742 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0092-8674(93)90520-Z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DE Nelson AEC Ihekwaba M Elliott JR Johnson CA Gibney BE Foreman G Nelson V See CA Horton DG Spiller SW Edwards HP McDowell JF Unitt E Sullivan R Grimley N Benson D Broomhead DB Kell MRH White (2004) ArticleTitleOscillations in NF-kappaB signaling control the dynamics of gene expression Science 306 IssueID5696 704–708

    Google Scholar 

  • Q Pan D Garsin R Losick (2001) ArticleTitleSelf-reinforcing activation of a cell-specific transcription factor by proteolysis of an anti-sigma factor in B. subtilis Molecules and Cells 8 873–883

    Google Scholar 

  • R Schroeter S Schlisio I Lucet M Yudkin R Borriss (1999) ArticleTitleThe Bacillus subtilis regulator protein SpoIIE shares functional and structural similarities with eukaryotic protein phosphatases 2C FEMS Microbiology Letters 174 IssueID1 117–123 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0378-1097(99)00117-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L Zhang ML Higgins PJ Piggot (1997) ArticleTitleThe division during bacterial sporulation is symmetrically located in Sporosarcina ureae Molecular Microbiology 25 IssueID6 1091–1098 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2958.1997.5341892.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematical Institute, Centre for Mathematical Biology, 24–29 St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3LB, UK

    Dagmar Iber

Authors
  1. Dagmar Iber
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dagmar Iber.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Iber, D. The Mechanistic Basis of Compartmentalized Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis. Nat Comput 4, 325–338 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11047-005-3670-y

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11047-005-3670-y

Keywords