Genetic analysis of SecA-SecY interaction required for spore development in Bacillus subtilis

All spontaneous suppressor mutations obtained from a secA12 sporulation-def ective mutant in Bacillus subtilis were localized in highly conserved membr ane-spanning regions of SecY. The expression of early sporulation genes, ki nA and spo0A encoding a histidine kinase and a transcription regulator for several sporulation genes, respectively, was restored in these suppressor m utants. These results indicate that the secretion function of translocase c ombined with Sec proteins is required for sporulation in B. subtilis. (C) 2 000 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.