CotE is a morphogenic protein that is required for the assembly of the outer coat of the endospore [1] and spore resistance to lysozyme [1]. CotE also regulates the expression of cotA, cotB, cotC and other genes encoding spore outer coat proteins [1]. The timing of cotE expression has been shown in Bacillus subtilis to affect spore coat morphology but not lysozyme resistance [2]. This protein consists of a SPOCS domain [3] which may be determinant in recruiting proteins for coat assembly.

1: Gene encoding a morphogenic protein required in the assembly of the outer coat of the Bacillus subtilis endospore. Zheng LB, Donovan WP, Fitz-James PC, Losick R; Genes Dev. 1988;2:1047-1054. PMID:3139490

2: The timing of cotE expression affects Bacillus subtilis spore coat morphology but not lysozyme resistance. Costa T, Serrano M, Steil L, Volker U, Moran CP Jr, Henriques AO; J Bacteriol. 2007;189:2401-2410. PMID:17172339

3: Bacterial developmental checkpoint that directly monitors cell surface morphogenesis. Delerue T, Anantharaman V, Gilmore MC, Popham DL, Cava F, Aravind L, Ramamurthi KS; Dev Cell. 2022;57:344-360. PMID:35065768