# GENETIC RECOMBINATION IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS

> **NIH NIH R01** · PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE · 1993 · $298,918

## Abstract

Genetic competence is defined as the ability of bacterial cells to bind
and internalize high molecular weight DNA, which may then be established
as an autonomous replicon or recombine with a resident DNA molecule.
Competence in Bacillus subtilis is one of several post-exponentially
expressed systems, the best characterized of which is sporulation.  The
present study is directed towards unraveling the complex network of
events that determine the onset of competence expression in response to a
set of nutritional, growth stage and cell-type specific signals.  This
network is known to include at least one phosphorylation cascade and
possibly several, and included a likely transmembrane signaling event.
We will investigate the role of the two-component regulators, ComP and
ComQ, in signaling the onset of transcription of srfA, a key intermediate
in the regulatory pathway.  We will investigate the role of comK in
competence regulation and that of MecA, a probable negative regulator of
several post-exponential expression systems.  We will also attempt to
clone and characterize ctf, which appears to encode a transcriptional
activator of late competence genes.  The interaction of this regulatory
pathway with those governing other post-exponential expression systems
will also be studied.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3124687
- **Project number:** 2R01AI010311-22
- **Recipient organization:** PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** DAVID A DUBNAU
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $298,918
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1977-06-01 → 1997-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3124687

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3124687, GENETIC RECOMBINATION IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS (2R01AI010311-22). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3124687. Licensed CC0.

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