Pattern of RNA transcription during Bacillus subtilis spore outgrowth.

During the outgrowth of Bacillus subtilis spores, there is a period of RNA and protein synthesis in the absence of DNA replication. Two mutants of B. subtilis, PB2442 (gsp-4) and PB2452 (gsp-81), were used to study the pattern of RNA synthesis during this period. The two mutants are temperature-sensitive in the outgrowth phase, and show a limited amount of incorporation of (3H)uridine at 47 degrees C. The RNAs synthesized during a 2 min pulse with (3H)uridine were hybridized to EcoRI-digested DNA, after agarose gel electrophoresis and transfer to nitrocellulose paper (Southern technique). For both mutants the transcripts synthesized at 35 degrees C at different times were different. Differences were also observed in the transcripts made at 47 degrees C. For both mutants, in the presence of chloramphenicol, the same hybridization pattern was obtained for RNAs pulse-labelled at different periods during outgrowth.