Formaldehyde kills spores of Bacillus subtilis by DNA damage and small, acid‐soluble spore proteins of the ααααααα/βββββββ‐type protect spores against this DNA damage

• Autores: C.A. Loshon, P. Setlow, P.C. Setlow
• Localización: Journal of applied microbiology, ISSN 1364-5072, Vol. 87, Nº 1, 1999, págs. 8-14
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Killing of wild‐type spores of Bacillus subtilis with formaldehyde also caused significant mutagenesis; spores (termed α−β−) lacking the two major α/β‐type small, acid‐soluble spore proteins (SASP) were more sensitive to both formaldehyde killing and mutagenesis. A recA mutation sensitized both wild‐type and α−β− spores to formaldehyde treatment, which caused significant expression of a recA‐lacZ fusion when the treated spores germinated. Formaldehyde also caused protein–DNA cross‐linking in both wild‐type and α−β− spores. These results indicate that: (i) formaldehyde kills B. subtilis spores at least in part by DNA damage and (b) α/β‐type SASP protect against spore killing by formaldehyde, presumably by protecting spore DNA.