Expression of the Bacillus subtilis spoIVCA gene, which encodes a site-specific recombinase, depends on the spoIIGB product

The Bacillus subtilis spoIVCA gene encodes a site-specific recombinase which creates a sigK gene by DNA rearrangement. We have determined the transcription initiation point of the spoIVCA gene and found that (i) the spoIVCA promoter contains sequences which are similar to -10 and -35 regions of promoters recognized by sigma E and (ii) mutation of spoIIGB, which encodes pro-sigma E, blocked the expression of spoIVCA.