The spa-box for transcriptional activation of subtilin biosynthesis and immunity in Bacillus subtilis.

The subtilin gene cluster (spa) of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 is organized in transcriptional units spaBTC, spaS, spaIFEG and spaRK. Specific binding of the response regulator protein SpaR to spaB, spaS and spaI DNA promoter fragments was shown by means of electromobility shift assays. A repeated pentanucleotide sequence spaced by six nucleotides was identified as SpaR binding motif (spa-box).

Dual control of subtilin biosynthesis and immunity in Bacillus subtilis.

The production of the peptide antibiotic (lantibiotic) subtilin in Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 is highly regulated. Transcriptional organization and regulation of the subtilin gene cluster encompassing 11 genes was characterized. Two polycistronic mRNAs encoding transcript spaBTC (6.