Bacillus subtilis is the best-characterized member of the Gram-positive bacteria. Its genome of 4,214,810 base pairs comprises 4,100 protein-coding genes. Of these protein-coding genes, 53% are represented once, while a quarter of the genome corresponds to several gene families that have been greatly expanded by gene duplication, the largest family containing 77 putative ATP-binding transport proteins. In addition, a large proportion of the genetic capacity is devoted to the utilization of a variety of carbon sources, including many plant-derived molecules. The identification of five signal peptidase genes, as well as several genes for components of the secretion apparatus, is important given the capacity of Bacillus strains to secrete large amounts of industrially important enzymes. Many of the genes are involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites, including antibiotics, that are more typically associated with Streptomyces species. The genome contains at least ten prophages or remnants of prophages, indicating that bacteriophage infection has played an important evolutionary role in horizontal gene transfer, in particular in the propagation of bacterial pathogenesis.
Title: A 10.3 kbp segment from nprB to argJ at the 102 degrees region of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome Levine A, Vannier F, Roche B, Autret S, Mavel D, Seror SJ Ref: Microbiology, 143 ( Pt 1):175, 1997 : PubMed
The approximately 10 kbp region encompassing nprB and argJ at 102 degrees on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome was sequenced, revealing 12 ORFs, four known genes (argJ, argC, ipi and nprB) and two genes, yitY and yitS, whose products respectively display significant homology with L-gulono-gamma-lactone oxidase of rat and dihydrofolate reductase of Staphylococcus aureus. The data also indicated that nprB mapped to a different position than previously published.
The nucleotide sequence of 17.3 kbp downstream of addA (98 degrees) on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome was determined. Twenty putative ORFs were identified. Three of them coincided with known B. subtilis genes, addA, sbcD and wprA. The product of four other ORFs showed similarity to SbcC of Clostridium perfringens, CotH of B. subtilis, 2-hydroxyhepta-2,4-diene-1,7-diodate isomerase of Methanococcus jannaschi and a putative ORF of Pseudomonas syringae. In addition, a sequence of 7.6 kbp downstream of citG (189 degrees) was analysed. Among 10 putative ORFs identified, two coincided with known genes, citG and mrgA, whilst three showed homology with X86780, a sensory protein kinase of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, an alkaline phosphatase regulatory protein and a hypothetical protease, YyxA, of B. subtilis.
Title: A Bacillus subtilis chromosome segment at the 100 degrees to 102 degrees position encoding 11 membrane proteins Roche B, Autret S, Levine A, Vannier F, Medina N, Seror SJ Ref: Microbiology, 143 ( Pt 10):3309, 1997 : PubMed
The 25.9 kbp region upstream of nprB at 100 degrees-102 degrees on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome was sequenced. This revealed a known gene, degA, which was previously mislocated on the genetic map. A total of 29 putative ORFs were identified including a cluster of three ORFs whose products show clear homology with sulphate adenylyl pathway enzymes and, in addition, 11 ORFs whose products have one or more membrane domains, as indicated by their hydropathy profiles.
