EXPRESSION OF KINA AND ACCUMULATION OF SIGMA(H) AT THE ONSET OF SPORULATION IN BACILLUS-SUBTILIS

Induction of the Bacillus subtilis kinA gene, which codes for a major kinase of the phosphorelay pathway, required the spoOH gene, coding for the sigma(H) protein, but not the genes spoOA, spoOB, and spoOF at the onset of sporulation. Also, the levels of sigma(H) in spoOA, spoOB, and spoOF mutants,were increased at the onset of sporulation, though induction of spoOH transcription in all of these mutants was appreciably inhibited. In addition, kinA expression was almost completely eliminated in a medium supplemented with excess glucose and glutamine, even though the usual stationary-phase-associated increase in sigma(H) was observed under these conditions.