The complete genome sequence of the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis.

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.

Sequence around the 159 degree region of the Bacillus subtilis genome: the pksX locus spans 33.6 kb.

The nucleotide sequence of 20 kb contiguous to the pksX locus of Bacillus subtilis was determined. Six ORFs were recognized, one of which extended for 13,341 nucleotides. Their predicted products have significant similarities to proteins with known functions involved in the synthesis of polypeptides and polyketides or in fatty acid metabolism.

Properties of the Bacillus subtilis chemotaxis protein CheF, a homolog of the Salmonella typhimurium flagellar protein FliJ.

The nucleotide sequence of Bacillus subtilis cheF was corrected. It encodes an 18-kDa protein that is homologous to FliJ, a protein required for formation of basal bodies in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Methanol release is abnormal in cheF mutants, suggesting that the morphology and functioning of the motor affects methanol formation.

Genetic analysis of the flaA locus of Bacillus subtilis.

We isolated two clones of recombinant lambda bacteriophage with overlapping inserts of Bacillus subtilis chromosomal DNA corresponding to part of the flaA locus. The flaA4 and flaA15 mutations were localized on the physical map by marker rescue experiments. The flaA locus and the flaB (sigD) gene were mapped in transduction crosses, and the order glnA polC flaB flaA was determined.

The flaA locus of Bacillus subtilis is part of a large operon coding for flagellar structures, motility functions, and an ATPase-like polypeptide.

We cloned and sequenced 8.3 kb of Bacillus subtilis DNA corresponding to the flaA locus involved in flagellar biosynthesis, motility, and chemotaxis. The DNA sequence revealed the presence of 10 complete and 2 incomplete open reading frames.