Table 1 Strains and plasmids used in this study

E. coli

   JM109

recA1, endA1, gyrA96, thi, hsdR17, supE44, relA, λ^-, Δ(lac-proAB), [F', traD36, proAB, lacI^qZ ΔM15]

[69]

B. subtilis

   3NA

spo0A3

[70]

   168

trpC2

Bacillus Genetic Stock Center

   KM12

spo0A3 ΔmtlAF::ermC

3NA transformed with pKAM5

   KM13

spo0A3 ΔmtlAFD::ermC

3NA transformed with pKAM6

   KM15

spo0A3 ΔmtlR::ermC

3NA transformed with pKAM4

   KM37

spo0A3 mtlD::ermC

3NA transformed with pKAM14

   KM39

spo0A3 ΔgutRBPydjE::cat

3NA transformed with pKAM13

   KM40

spo0A3 ΔmtlAFD::ermC ΔgutRBPydjE::cat

KM13 transformed with pKAM13

   KM162

spo0A3 ΔmtlR::ermC, hisI', spc

KM15 transformed with pHM30

   KM163

spo0A3 mtlR-H342D

KM162 transformed with pKAM66

   MW312

spo0A3 (ptsG-pstH')::ermC

3NA transformed with pMW312.2

   MW373

spo0A3 ΔptsG

MW312 transformed with pMW373.3

   TQ303

spo0A3 ΔccpA::ermC

[5]

   TQ432

trpC2 ptsH-H15A amyE::cat

[5]

Plasmids

   pHM30

hisF, hisI', spc, yvcA, yvcB, bla

[37]

   pHM31

hisF, hisI, yvcA, yvcB, bla

[37]

   pKAM1

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-181/-1)^α -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM4

'ycsN-ermC-ydaB', bla, spc

This study

   pKAM5

'ycnL-ermC-P _mtlA -mtlD', bla, spc

This study

   pKAM6

'ycnL-ermC-ycsA', bla, spc

This study

   pKAM9

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-161/-1) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM12

spc, ter- P _mtlA ' (-161/-32)-lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM13

'ydjC-cat-pspA', bla, spc

This study

   pKAM14

'mtlD::ermC, bla, spc

This study

   pKAM18

spc, ter-P _mtlR -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM27

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-161/-32)*[cttta→gaaat] -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM43

spc, ter- 'P _mtlA (-157/-32) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM44

spc, ter- P _mtlA ' (-161/-52) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM45

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-161/-32)*[ctttc→gaaag] -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM48

spc, ter- 'P _mtlA (-159/-32) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM49

spc, ter- 'P _mtlA (-155/-32) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM52

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-161/-32)*[ttcaa→aagtt] -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM57

spc, ter- 'P _mtlA (-153/-32) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM58

spc, ter- 'P _mtlA (-149/-32) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM59

spc, ter- 'P _mtlA (-151/-32) -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM66

hisF, hisI, mtlR-H342-D, yvcA, yvcB, bla

This study

   pKAM84

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-161/-32)*[gtcct→cagga] -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM88

spc, ter- P _groE - (cre _PmtlA ) - UTR _PmtlR -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM89

spc, ter- P _groE - (cre _PmtlR ) - UTR _PmtlR -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM90

spc, ter- P _groE -(cre _acsA ) - UTR _PmtlR -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM91

spc, ter- P _groE - (cre _mtlA ) - UTR _PmtlR -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM92

spc, ter- P _mtlA (-161/-32)*[ccaaa→ggttt] -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pKAM101

spc, ter- P _groE - UTR _PmtlR -lacZ-ter, repA

This study

   pMW312.2

glcT'-ermC-ptsHI', bla, spc

This study

   pMW363.1

ter, spc, manP'-cat-yjdB-yjdA', bla

Laboratory Stock

   pMW373.3

'glcT-P _ptsGHI -ptsH', bla, spc

This study

   pSUN279.2

ter-P _manR -manR-P _manP -lacZ-ter, repA, ori _pUC18 , ori _pBS72 , bla, spc

[5]

   pSUN338.3

yvcL-ermC-yvcN, bla, spc

[5]

   pSUN356.7

manR'-ermC-manA', bla, spc

[5]