Identification of a new sporulation locus, spoIIIF, in Bacillus subtilis.

We have isolated a mutant of Bacillus subtilis, strain 590, which is blocked at stage III of sporulation. The spo mutation which is carried by this strain is linked to pheA by transformation and defines a previously unidentified locus, spoIIIF. The spoIIIF locus is contiguous with the spoVB locus, in which a mutation causes a block at stage V of sporulation. We also give a detailed genetic map of the pheA region of the chromosome.