Yx. Butler et al., AMPLIFICATION OF THE BACILLUS-SUBTILIS-MAF GENE RESULTS IN ARRESTED SEPTUM FORMATION, Journal of bacteriology, 175(10), 1993, pp. 3139-3145
The Bacillus subtilis homolog of the Escherichia coli morphogene orfE
(of the mre operon) has been identified. The determinant is located on
the chromosome immediately upstream of the mreBCD-minCD (divIVB) oper
on. The Maf protein shares substantial amino acid sequence identity wi
th the E. coli OrfE protein. Introduction of the B. subtilis maf deter
minant on a multicopy plasmid into B. subtilis cells results in an inh
ibition of septation, which leads to extensive filamentation and loss
of viability in the transformed cell population. Insertional inactivat
ion of maf indicated that this gene is not essential for cell division
.