Differential responses of Bacillus subtilis rRNA promoters to nutritional stress.

The in vivo expression levels of four rRNA promoter pairs (rrnp(1)p(2)) of Bacillus subtilis were determined by employing single-copy lacZ fusions integrated at the amyE locus. The rrnO, rrnJ, rrnD, and rrnB promoters displayed unique growth rate regulation and stringent responses. Both lacZ activity and mRNA levels were highest for rrnO under all growth conditions tested, while rrnJ, rrnB, and rrnD showed decreasing levels of activity.

Genes governing swarming in Bacillus subtilis and evidence for a phase variation mechanism controlling surface motility.

Undomesticated strains of Bacillus subtilis, but not laboratory strains, exhibit robust swarming motility on solid surfaces. The failure of laboratory strains to swarm is caused by a mutation in a gene (sfp) needed for surfactin synthesis and a mutation(s) in an additional unknown gene(s). Insertional mutagenesis of the undomesticated 3610 strain with the transposon mini-Tn10 was carried out to discover genes needed for swarming but not swimming motility.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism of rRNA operons for discrimination and intergenic spacer sequences for cataloging of Bacillus subtilis sub-groups.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism of rRNA operons (RFLP) and 16S-23S rRNA intergenic region (ISR) sequences of Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis, B. subtilis subsp.