THE PRODUCT OF THE YVOC (GERF) GENE OF BACILLUS-SUBTILIS IS REQUIRED FOR SPORE GERMINATION

All known gerF mutations affecting Bacillus subtilis spore germination have been mapped, by a combination of recombination and complementati on analysis, to yvoC (Igt), a gene belonging to the yvoB (ptsK) yvoC ( Igt) yvoDEF operon. Examination of the properties of null mutants conf irmed that the only gene in the operon that affects germination is yvo C, which encodes a homologue of known prelipoprotein diacylglyceryl tr ansferases. As several germination proteins (GerAC. GerBC. CerKC. GerD ) are predicted lipoproteins, it is not unreasonable to assume that a defect in prelipoprotein processing will affect spore germination. Two other null mutants in this chromosomal region showed a clear phenotyp e:the nagA gene is required for growth on N-acetylglucosamine, whereas a null mutation in yvoB (ptsK) affects colony formation from single c ells.