HBsu Is Required for the Initiation of DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

While it is common for a bacterial species to express multiple nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs), NAPs are seldomly essential for cell survival. In B. subtilis , HBsu is a NAP essential for cell viability. Here, using conditional alleles to rapidly remove or inactivate HBsu, we show that the absence of HBsu abolishes the initiation of DNA replication in vivo . Understanding HBsu’s function can provide new insights into the regulation of DNA replication initiation in bacteria.