Characterization of the 5 ' subtilisin (aprE) regulatory region from Bacillus subtilis

The aprE gene of Bacillus subtilis encodes the major serine alkaline protea se known as subtilisin. it is expressed during the transition slate and tra nscribed by the sigma(A) form of the RNA polymerase (RNAP). In this work, w e characterized the regulatory region of the aprE gene (rraprE) from B. sub tilis. By computer analysis and site-directed mutagenesis, we localized the aprE promoter sequence 7 bp upstream from its transcription initiation sit e (TIS). We also characterized the static curvature properties of the rrapr E DNA and found two different areas of DNA bending, within the first 400 bp upstream of its TIS. We postulate that these particular curved DNA regions could play a role in the interaction with some regulatory proteins and dis cuss possible implications related to aprE transcription regulation. (C) 20 00 Federation of European Microbiological Societies, Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.