IDENTIFICATION OF DNA-BINDING PROTEINS CHANGED AFTER INDUCTION OF SPORULATION IN BACILLUS-CEREUS

DNA-binding proteins were extracted from both exponentially growing ce lls of Bacillus cereus ts-4 and cells that were induced to sporulate a t different stages of chromosome replication, by using a double-strand ed B. cereus ts-4 DNA-cellulose column. Two-dimensional electrophoresi s of the proteins found that the amounts of 17 proteins changed drasti cally after induction of sporulation at all the stages. For 8 of those proteins, the largest or the smallest amount was found in the cells w hich were induced to sporulate 40 min after the initiation of chromoso me replication, the sensitive stage for sporulation. The N-terminal am ino acids of 6 proteins among the selected proteins were sequenced. Th e sequence obtained from a 59-kDa protein had sequence similarity (> 4 5%) to GroEL from several bacterial species. In addition, the sequence s from 76- and 52-kDa proteins matched deduced amino acid sequences of a Mycobacterium leprae gene showing homology to the bacterial atp ope ron and the B. subtilis guaB for IMP dehydrogenase, respectively.