ComA-dependent transcriptional activation of lichenysin A synthetase promoter in Bacillus subtilis cells

ComA is a DNA-binding activator protein which is required for the transcription of several late-growth phase expressed genes including srfA, an operon needed for the development of genetic competence, efficient sporulation, and surfactin production in Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). We show here that the ComA protein can also recognize the promoter regulatory region of the lchA, lichenysin A synthetase operon, found in Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) when introduced into B. subtilis cells. Mutational analysis of this region suggests that a palindromic sequence upstream of the IchA promoter may be the target for ComA-dependent transcriptional activation. Considering that the comA operon is present in the B. licheniformis chromosome, we propose the similar mechanism of transcriptional activation of the lichenysin A synthetase operon.