This is a family of bacterial glucose inhibited division proteins these are probably involved in the regulation of cell devision [1]. GidB has been shown to be a methyltransferase G specific to the rRNA small subunit [2, 3]. Previously identified as a glucose-inhibited division protein B that appears to be present and in a single copy in all complete eubacterial genomes so far sequenced. GidB specifically methylates the N7 position of a guanosine in 16S rRNA [4].

1: Gene organization in the trxA/B-oriC region of the Streptomyces coelicolor chromosome and comparison with other eubacteria. Gal-Mor O, Borovok I, Av-Gay Y, Cohen G, Aharonowitz Y; Gene 1998;217:83-90. PMID:9795152

2: Crystal structure of the Escherichia coli glucose-inhibited division protein B (GidB) reveals a methyltransferase fold. Romanowski MJ, Bonanno JB, Burley SK; Proteins. 2002;47:563-567. PMID:12001236

3: Loss of a conserved 7-methylguanosine modification in 16S rRNA confers low-level streptomycin resistance in bacteria. Okamoto S, Tamaru A, Nakajima C, Nishimura K, Tanaka Y, Tokuyama S, Suzuki Y, Ochi K; Mol Microbiol. 2007;63:1096-1106. PMID:17238915

4: Identification of the RsmG methyltransferase target as 16S rRNA nucleotide G527 and characterization of Bacillus subtilis rsmG mutants. Nishimura K, Johansen SK, Inaoka T, Hosaka T, Tokuyama S, Tahara Y, Okamoto S, Kawamura F, Douthwaite S, Ochi K; J Bacteriol. 2007;189:6068-6073. PMID:17573471