Regulation of carbon catabolism in Bacillus species

The gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is capable of using numerous carbohydrates as single sources of carbon and energy. In this review, we di scuss the mechanisms of carbon catabolism and its regulation. Like many oth er bacteria, B. subtilis uses glucose as the most preferred source of carbo n and energy. Expression of genes involved in catabolism of many other subs trates depends on their presence (induction) and the absence of carbon sour ces that can be well metabolized (catabolite repression). Induction is achi eved by different mechanisms, with antitermination apparently more common i n B. subtilis than in other bacteria. Catabolite repression is regulated in a completely different way than in enteric bacteria. The components mediat ing carbon catabolite repression in B. subtilis are also found in many othe r gram-positive bacteria of low GC content.