Analysis of a ribose transport operon from Bacillus subtilis

The csa-15 locus of Bacillus subtilis corresponds to an operon encoding proteins which display features characteristic of the ABC group of transporters. Sequence analysis reveals a very high level of identity to the ribose transport operon of Escherichia coli. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that strains carrying mutagenic insertions in this operon are unable to grow on ribose as sole carbon source. Expression of this operon is directed by a single SigA-type promoter which is negatively regulated by Spo0A during the late-exponential/transition state of the growth cycle. Expression is also subject to catabolite repression and this mode of regulation is dominant to control of expression by Spo0A.