subtilis [27] pBCJ102 pBluescript based vector containing transcription terminator cassettes ApR [29] pBCJ144 vector to replace part of B. subtilis lysS with KanR [29] pBCJ307 vector with transcriptional fusion of B. Elacridar chemical structure cereus lysK promoter and T box with lacZ CmR This study pDG268 vector to generate lacZ promoter fusions at the amyE locus by double crossover ApR CmR [26] pDG1730 vector for integration at the amyE locus in B. subtilis SpecR [30] pXZ2 Vector to

placing B. subtilis lysS under control of IPTG inducible Pspac promoter EmR This study pMUTIN-XZ pMUTIN4 with the lacZ gene removed EmR This study pMap65 replicating B. subtilis plasmid encoding penP-lacI PhlR KanR [28] pNF30 plasmid with B. 3-deazaneplanocin A mouse cereus lysK promoter and T box element in pBCJ102 ApR This study pNF40 B. subtilis asnS promoter on 516 bp fragment in pMUTIN-XZ This study pNF48 B. cereus lysK promoter and lysK gene cloned into pDG1730 This study pNF112 the lysK promoter and T box element (423 bp) fused to B. subtilis lysS (672 bp fragment) This study General molecular biology methods Standard DNA manipulations and cloning procedures were carried out as described [26]. Chromosomal DNA was isolated from B. subtilis and B.

cereus using the chromosomal DNA purification BYL719 order kit from Edge Biosystems (Gaithersburg, MD) according to the manufacturerer’s protocol. Plasmid DNA was isolated by a modified boiling lysis method [26] and further purified using the Concert Rapid PCR Purification System (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA), or the Genelute Plasmid miniprep kit (Sigma

Aldrich, St Louis, MO, USA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. PCR amplification was performed using Taq polymerase (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) or high fidelity KOD polymerase (Calbiochem-Novabiochem Corp. USA). Sequencing was carried out by MWG Biotech-Germany Glutathione peroxidase (Ebersburg, Germany) and GATC Biotech (Konstanz, Germany). Oligonucleotides used in this study (listed in Table 3) were purchased from MWG Biotech-Germany (Ebersburg, Germany) or Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). For Southern blot analysis DNA was transferred to Biodyne membranes (Pall Gelman, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) by vacuum blotting and crosslinked by UV exposure (150 mJ). Dig labeled probes (Roche, East Sussex, UK) were prepared as per manufacturer’s protocol and hybridized to the filter using high concentration SDS buffers. Filter washes and probe detection were carried out using the Dig detection kit (Roche, East Sussex, UK).