Table 1 Bacterial strains used in this study

B. subtilis strain

 Δupp

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, Δupp::neoR, Neo^R

This study

 AmyL

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyL catR Tbpnʹ; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

 AmyE

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyE catR Tbpnʹ; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

 BPNʹ

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-bpnʹ catR Tbpnʹ; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

 ΔrasP

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, Δupp::neoR, ΔrasP::upp-phleoR-cI Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S

This study

 AmyL ΔrasP

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyL catR, Δupp::neoR, ΔrasP::upp-phleoR-cI catR; Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S Cm^R

This study

 AmyE ΔrasP

degUHy32, ∆scoC, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, ∆opp, aprE::PaprE-amyE catR, Δupp::neoR, ΔrasP::upp-phleoR-cI catR; Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S Cm^R

This study

 BPNʹ ΔrasP

degUHy32, ∆scoC, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, ∆opp, aprE::PaprE-bpn’ catR; Δupp::neoR, ΔrasP::upp-phleoR-cI Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S Cm^R

This study

 ΔtepA

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, Δupp::neoR, ΔtepA::upp-phleoR-cI Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S

This study

 AmyL ΔtepA

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyL catR, Δupp::neoR, ΔtepA::upp-phleoR-cI catR; Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S Cm^R

This study

 AmyE ΔtepA

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyE catR, Δupp::neoR, ΔtepA::upp-phleoR-cI catR; Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S Cm^R

This study

 BPNʹ ΔtepA

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-bpnʹ catR; Δupp::neoR, ΔtepA::upp-phleoR-cI Em^R; Phleo^R; Neo^S Cm^R

This study

 Properase

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-properase catR Tbpnʹ; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

 Properase RasP

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-properase catR Tbpnʹ, spoIIIAH::PspoVG-rasP; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

 AmyAc

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyAc catR Tbpnʹ; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

 AmyAc RasP

degUHy32, amyE::xylRPxylAcomK-ermC, aprE::PaprE-amyAc catR Tbpnʹ, spoIIIAH::PspoVG-rasP; Em^R; Cm^R

This study

Plasmids

 pHT315-P_spac

Multicopy shuttle vector replicating in E. coli and B. subtilis contains IPTG-inducible P_spac; Amp^R, Em^R

Genencor/dupont [44]

 pHTK315

pHT315-P_spac derivative, Em^R is replaced by Km^R; Amp^R, Km^R

This study

 pHT315K::rasP

pHT315K-P_spac derivative, contains IPTG-inducible rasP; Amp^R, Km^R

This study