A Developmental Checkpoint Couples the Initiation of Sporulation to DNA Replication in Bacillus Subtilis

Spore formation in Bacillus subtilis requires the generation of two distinct cell types, each with an active chromosome that becomes committed to a defined program of gene expression. Here we show that a developmental checkpoint couples the initiation of sporulation, and the subsequent formation of these two cell types, to DNA replication early during development. Inhibiting the initiation of chromosomal replication prevents the onset of sporulation and inhibits expression of several genes that are normally induced early during development. This defect in gene expression is due to inhibition of the multi-component phosphorylation pathway needed to activate the developmental transcription factor encoded by spo0A. The target affected by inhibiting the initiation of replication is neither Spo0A nor the major kinase, KinA, needed for production of Spo0A approximately P. Rather, the target appears to be one of the proteins that transfers phosphate from the kinase to the Spo0A transcription factor. The signal that couples activity of the phosphorelay to the initiation of DNA replication is different from the previously described DNA damage signal that inhibits the phosphorelay during SOS induction in a recA-dependent response. Thus, DNA replication as well as DNA damage signals control production of Spo0A approximately P and initiation of sporulation.