An Orf from Bacillus licheniformis encodes a putative DNA repressor

The complete sequence of a reading frame adjacent to the endo-beta-1,3-1,4- D-glucanase gene from Bacillus licheniformis is reported. It encodes a puta tive 171 amino acid residues protein with either, low significant sequence similarity in data banks or the corresponding orthologue in the recently se quenced Bacillus subtilis genome. Computer analyses predict a canonical Hel ix-Turn-Helix motif characteristic of bacterial repressors/DNA binding prot eins. A maxicells assay shows that the encoded polypeptide is expressed. A DNA-protein binding. assay performed by gel electrophoresis shows that the expressed protein specifically binds to Bacillus licheniformis DNA.