Spores of Bacillus species have novel properties, which allow them to lie dormant for years and then germinate under favourable conditions. In the current work, the role of a key metabolic integrator, coenzyme A (CoA), in redox regulation of growing cells and during spore formation in Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus subtilis is studied. Exposing these growing cells to oxidising agents or carbon deprivation resulted in extensive covalent protein modification by CoA (termed protein CoAlation), through disulphide bond formation between the CoA thiol group and a protein cysteine. Significant protein CoAlation was observed during sporulation of B. megaterium, and increased largely in parallel with loss of metabolism in spores. Mass spectrometric analysis identified four CoAlated proteins in B. subtilis spores as well as one CoAlated protein in growing B. megaterium cells. All five of these proteins have been identified as moderately abundant in spores. Based on these findings and published studies, protein CoAlation might be involved in facilitating establishment of spores’ metabolic dormancy, and/or protecting sensitive sulfhydryl groups of spore enzymes.

中文翻译：

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芽孢杆菌孢子形成过程中 CoA 和蛋白质半胱氨酸硫醇之间的二硫键连接分析

芽孢杆菌属的孢子具有新颖的特性，使它们能够休眠数年，然后在有利的条件下发芽。在当前的工作中，研究了关键代谢整合剂辅酶 A (CoA) 在生长细胞的氧化还原调节以及巨大芽孢杆菌和枯草芽孢杆菌孢子形成过程中的作用。将这些生长中的细胞暴露于氧化剂或碳剥夺中，通过 CoA 硫醇基和蛋白质半胱氨酸之间形成二硫键，导致 CoA 进行广泛的共价蛋白质修饰（称为蛋白质 CoAlation）。在巨大芽孢杆菌的孢子形成过程中观察到了显着的蛋白质共铝化，并且随着孢子代谢的丧失而大幅增加。质谱分析鉴定出枯草芽孢杆菌孢子中的四种 CoAlated 蛋白以及生长中的巨大芽孢杆菌细胞中的一种 CoAlated 蛋白。所有这五种蛋白质均已被鉴定在孢子中含量中等。根据这些发现和已发表的研究，蛋白质辅酶Alation可能参与促进孢子代谢休眠的建立，和/或保护孢子酶的敏感巯基。