ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TN917-GENERATED BACITRACIN DEFICIENT MUTANTS OF BACILLUS-LICHENIFORMIS

Two Tn917-generated bacitracin deficient mutants of Bacillus lichenifo rmis were isolated. Southern blot analysis of chromosomal DNA extracte d from both insertional mutants showed that Tn917 inserted in the vici nity of the gene coding for the enzyme BA2 of the bacitracin synthetas e enzyme complex. Measurements of bacitracin synthetase activity in ce ll-free extracts and positive hybridization signals in the vicinity of the BA2 gene indicate that in both bacitracin deficient mutants Tn917 could be inserted in the BA1 gene or in segments involved in regulati on. Thus, it could be possible that the genes for bacitracin synthetas e are clustered in the B. licheniformis genome.