Positively regulated glycerol/G3P-dependent Bacillus subtilis gene expression system based on anti-termination

Plasmid pLALA was constructed for glycerol or glycerol-3-phosphate inducible plasmid-borne gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and closely related Gram-positive bacteria. Gene expression using pLALA is based on anti-termination of transcription and involves the B. subtilis GlpP protein that in the presence of glycerol-3-phosphate acts as an anti-terminator protein by binding to the 5'-untranslated region of glpD mRNA. Properties and the usefulness of the system, denoted LALA, were validated by inducible production in B. subtilis strains of two water-soluble proteins (beta-galactosidase and a protein phospho-tyrosine phosphatase), and one integral membrane protein (heme A synthase). Advantages with LALA is that it is based on positive control, does not involve a DNA-binding protein, and that glycerol, a cheap and stable compound, can be used as inducer of gene expression.