Gm. Slynn et al., MOLECULAR-GENETIC AND PHENOTYPICAL ANALYSIS OF THE GERM SPORE GERMINATION GENE OF BACILLUS-SUBTILIS-168, FEMS microbiology letters, 121(3), 1994, pp. 315-320
The gerM gene, encoding a single product of 22.5 kDa, has been identif
ied by subcloning and sequencing of DNA recovered from adjacent to a T
n917 insertion. The gene product has a potential lipoprotein signal se
quence, but otherwise has no homology to known sequences. Spores of th
e gerM mutant were more heat sensitive than wild-type, but their dipic
olinic acid content was normal. The level of cortical peptidoglycan in
mutant spores is also normal but release at germination of hexosamine
-containing fragments, the breakdown products of cortex degradation, i
s less complete than wild-type. The sporulation, resistance and germin
ation phenotypes of the gerM mutant would be consistent with the gene
product having a role, either directly or indirectly, in peptidoglycan
synthesis during sporulation.