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Genetic competence in Bacillus subtilis.

D Dubnau1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Public Health Research Institute, New York, New York 10016.

Microbiological Reviews
|September 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

This review details genetic competence in Bacillus subtilis, a state allowing DNA uptake. It highlights regulatory pathways controlling this process and their links to other bacterial functions like sporulation.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Genetic competence is a crucial physiological state in bacteria, enabling the uptake of exogenous DNA (transformation).
  • In Bacillus subtilis, competence is regulated by growth stage, nutritional status, and cell-specific factors, with only a subset of cells becoming competent.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of genetic competence regulation in Bacillus subtilis.
  • To classify genes involved in transformability and elucidate the mechanisms of DNA uptake and regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on Bacillus subtilis competence.
  • Genetic analysis of genes required for transformability, categorizing them into late competence genes and regulatory genes.
  • Biochemical and genetic studies of regulatory protein interactions and signal transduction pathways.

Main Results:

  • Competence genes are classified into late competence genes (DNA binding, uptake, processing) and regulatory genes (controlling late gene expression).
  • Late competence gene products are often membrane-localized, suggesting roles in DNA transport or apparatus assembly.
  • Regulatory genes form a hierarchical signal transduction network involving two-component systems and transcription factors, influencing multiple postexponential processes.

Conclusions:

  • The regulatory apparatus for competence in Bacillus subtilis is an intricate signal transduction system.
  • Regulatory proteins controlling competence are often involved in other essential postexponential functions, indicating a broader regulatory network.
  • Understanding these pathways provides insights into bacterial adaptation and gene expression control.

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