gerT, a newly discovered germination gene under the control of the sporulation transcription factor sigmaK in Bacillus subtilis
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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Visualization of Germinosomes and the Inner Membrane in Bacillus subtilis Spores
Published on: April 15, 2019
Caitlin C Ferguson1, Amy H Camp, Richard Losick
1Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Abstract:
We report the identification of a gene, herein designated gerT (formerly yozR), that is involved in germination by spores of Bacillus subtilis. The gerT gene is induced late in sporulation under the positive control of the transcription factor sigma(K) and under the negative control of the DNA-binding protein GerE. The gerT gene product (GerT) is a component of the spore coat, and its incorporation into the coat takes place in two stages. GerT initially assembles into foci, which then spread around the developing spore in a process that is dependent on the morphogenetic protein CotE. Mutant spores lacking GerT respond poorly to multiple germinants and are impaired at an early stage of germination.
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