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Povolotsky TL, Levy Barazany H, Shacham Y, Kolodkin-Gal I. Bacterial epigenetics and its implication for agriculture, probiotics development, and biotechnology design. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 75:108414. [PMID: 39019123 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
In their natural habitats, organisms encounter numerous external stimuli and must be able to sense and adapt to those stimuli to survive. Unlike mutations, epigenetic changes do not alter the underlying DNA sequence. Instead, they create modifications that promote or silence gene expression. Bacillus subtilis has long been a model organism in studying genetics and development. It is beneficial for numerous biotechnological applications where it is included as a probiotic, in fermentation, or in bio-concrete design. This bacterium has also emerged recently as a model organism for studying bacterial epigenetic adaptation. In this review, we examine the evolving knowledge of epigenetic regulation (restriction-modification systems (RM), orphan methyltransferases, and chromosome condensation) in B. subtilis and related bacteria, and utilize it as a case study to test their potential roles and future applications in genetic engineering and microbial biotechnology. Finally, we suggest how the implementation of these fundamental findings promotes the design of synthetic epigenetic memory circuits and their future applications in agriculture, medicine, and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana L Povolotsky
- Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstraße 23A, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hilit Levy Barazany
- Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Hauniversita 8, Herzeliya, Israel
| | - Yosi Shacham
- Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Hauniversita 8, Herzeliya, Israel
| | - Ilana Kolodkin-Gal
- Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Hauniversita 8, Herzeliya, Israel.
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2
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Xu S, Liu Z, Ren P, Liu Y, Xiao F, Li W. BmfR, a novel GntR family regulator, regulates biofilm formation in marine-derived, Bacillus methylotrophicus B-9987. Microbiol Res 2024; 287:127859. [PMID: 39098095 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Biofilms are common living states for microorganisms, allowing them to adapt to environmental changes. Numerous Bacillus strains can form complex biofilms that play crucial roles in biocontrol processes. However, our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation in Bacillus is mainly based on studies of Bacillus subtilis. Knowledge regarding the biofilm formation of other Bacillus species remains limited. In this study, we identified a novel transcriptional regulator, BmfR, belonging to the GntR family, that regulates biofilm formation in marine-derived Bacillus methylotrophicus B-9987. We demonstrated that BmfR induces biofilm formation by activating the extracellular polysaccharide structural genes epsA-O and negatively regulating the matrix gene repressor, SinR; of note it positively affects the expression of the master regulator of sporulation, Spo0A. Furthermore, database mining for BmfR homologs has revealed their widespread distribution among many bacterial species, mainly Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. This study advances our understanding of the biofilm regulatory network of Bacillus strains, and provides a new target for exploiting and manipulating biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Zengzhi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Pengfei Ren
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Fei Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Wenli Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts of Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China; State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry & Pharmacy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shannxi 712100, China.
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3
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Engelhardt IC, Holden N, Daniell TJ, Dupuy LX. Mobility and growth in confined spaces are important mechanisms for the establishment of Bacillus subtilis in the rhizosphere. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170. [PMID: 39106481 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
The rhizosphere hosts complex and abundant microbiomes whose structure and composition are now well described by metagenomic studies. However, the dynamic mechanisms that enable micro-organisms to establish along a growing plant root are poorly characterized. Here, we studied how a motile bacterium utilizes the microhabitats created by soil pore space to establish in the proximity of plant roots. We have established a model system consisting of Bacillus subtilis and lettuce seedlings co-inoculated in transparent soil microcosms. We carried out live imaging experiments and developed image analysis pipelines to quantify the abundance of the bacterium as a function of time and position in the pore space. Results showed that the establishment of the bacterium in the rhizosphere follows a precise sequence of events where small islands of mobile bacteria were first seen forming near the root tip within the first 12-24 h of inoculation. Biofilm was then seen forming on the root epidermis at distances of about 700-1000 µm from the tip. Bacteria accumulated predominantly in confined pore spaces within 200 µm from the root or the surface of a particle. Using probabilistic models, we could map the complete sequence of events and propose a conceptual model of bacterial establishment in the pore space. This study therefore advances our understanding of the respective role of growth and mobility in the efficient colonization of bacteria in the rhizosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilonka C Engelhardt
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen 72074, Germany
| | - Nicola Holden
- Department of Rural Land Use, Scotland's Rural College, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, UK
| | - Tim J Daniell
- Molecular Microbiology: Biochemistry to Disease, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Lionel X Dupuy
- Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, Neiker, Derio 48160, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48009, Spain
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4
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Rosazza T, Earl C, Eigentler L, Davidson FA, Stanley-Wall NR. Reciprocal sharing of extracellular proteases and extracellular matrix molecules facilitates Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation. Mol Microbiol 2024; 122:184-200. [PMID: 38922753 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Extracellular proteases are a class of public good that support growth of Bacillus subtilis when nutrients are in a polymeric form. Bacillus subtilis biofilm matrix molecules are another class of public good that are needed for biofilm formation and are prone to exploitation. In this study, we investigated the role of extracellular proteases in B. subtilis biofilm formation and explored interactions between different public good producer strains across various conditions. We confirmed that extracellular proteases support biofilm formation even when glutamic acid provides a freely available nitrogen source. Removal of AprE from the NCIB 3610 secretome adversely affects colony biofilm architecture, while sole induction of WprA activity into an otherwise extracellular protease-free strain is sufficient to promote wrinkle development within the colony biofilm. We found that changing the nutrient source used to support growth affected B. subtilis biofilm structure, hydrophobicity and architecture. We propose that the different phenotypes observed may be due to increased protease dependency for growth when a polymorphic protein presents the sole nitrogen source. We however cannot exclude that the phenotypic changes are due to alternative matrix molecules being made. Co-culture of biofilm matrix and extracellular protease mutants can rescue biofilm structure, yet reliance on extracellular proteases for growth influences population coexistence dynamics. Our findings highlight the intricate interplay between these two classes of public goods, providing insights into microbial social dynamics during biofilm formation across different ecological niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Rosazza
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Chris Earl
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Lukas Eigentler
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Mathematics, School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Fordyce A Davidson
- Mathematics, School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Nicola R Stanley-Wall
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
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5
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Liu S, Li Y, Xu H, Kearns DB, Wu Y. Active interface bulging in Bacillus subtilis swarms promotes self-assembly and biofilm formation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322025121. [PMID: 39052827 PMCID: PMC11295035 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322025121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities such as biofilms are commonly found at interfaces. However, it is unclear how the physical environment of interfaces may contribute to the development and behavior of surface-associated microbial communities. Combining multimode imaging, single-cell tracking, and numerical simulations, here, we found that activity-induced interface bulging promotes colony biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis swarms presumably via segregation and enrichment of sessile cells in the bulging area. Specifically, the diffusivity of passive particles is ~50% lower inside the bulging area than elsewhere, which enables a diffusion-trapping mechanism for self-assembly and may account for the enrichment of sessile cells. We also uncovered a quasilinear relation between cell speed and surface-packing density that underlies the process of active interface bulging. Guided by the speed-density relation, we demonstrated reversible formation of liquid bulges by manipulating the speed and local density of cells with light. Over the course of development, the active bulges turned into striped biofilm structures, which eventually give rise to a large-scale ridge pattern. Our findings reveal a unique physical mechanism of biofilm formation at air-solid interface, which is pertinent to engineering living materials and directed self-assembly in active fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Liu
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ye Li
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong518055, China
| | - Haoran Xu
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daniel B. Kearns
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN47405-7005
| | - Yilin Wu
- Department of Physics and Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Dorfan Y, Nahami A, Morris Y, Shohat B, Kolodkin-Gal I. The Utilization of Bacillus subtilis to Design Environmentally Friendly Living Paints with Anti-Mold Properties. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1226. [PMID: 38930607 PMCID: PMC11205451 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The anti-fungal properties of the probiotic bacterium Bacillus subtilis have been studied extensively in agriculture and ecology, but their applications in the built environment remain to be determined. Our work aims to utilize this biological component to introduce new diverse anti-mold properties into paint. "Mold" refers to the ubiquitous fungal species that generate visible multicellular filaments commonly found in household dust. The development of mold leads to severe health problems for occupants, including allergic response, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and asthma, which have significant economic and clinical outcomes. We here demonstrate the robust effect of a commercial paint enhanced with Bacillus subtilis cells against the common mold agent, Aspergillus niger, and identify three biosynthetic clusters essential for this effect. Our results lay the foundation for bio-convergence and synthetic biology approaches to introduce renewable and environmentally friendly bio-anti-fungal agents into the built environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Dorfan
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel; (A.N.); (B.S.)
| | - Avichay Nahami
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel; (A.N.); (B.S.)
- The Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
| | - Yael Morris
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel; (A.N.); (B.S.)
| | - Benny Shohat
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel; (A.N.); (B.S.)
| | - Ilana Kolodkin-Gal
- The Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
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7
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Chong TN, Shapiro L. Bacterial cell differentiation enables population level survival strategies. mBio 2024; 15:e0075824. [PMID: 38771034 PMCID: PMC11237816 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00758-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Clonal reproduction of unicellular organisms ensures the stable inheritance of genetic information. However, this means of reproduction lacks an intrinsic basis for genetic variation, other than spontaneous mutation and horizontal gene transfer. To make up for this lack of genetic variation, many unicellular organisms undergo the process of cell differentiation to achieve phenotypic heterogeneity within isogenic populations. Cell differentiation is either an inducible or obligate program. Induced cell differentiation can occur as a response to a stimulus, such as starvation or host cell invasion, or it can be a stochastic process. In contrast, obligate cell differentiation is hardwired into the organism's life cycle. Whether induced or obligate, bacterial cell differentiation requires the activation of a signal transduction pathway that initiates a global change in gene expression and ultimately results in a morphological change. While cell differentiation is considered a hallmark in the development of multicellular organisms, many unicellular bacteria utilize this process to implement survival strategies. In this review, we describe well-characterized cell differentiation programs to highlight three main survival strategies used by bacteria capable of differentiation: (i) environmental adaptation, (ii) division of labor, and (iii) bet-hedging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trisha N Chong
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Lucy Shapiro
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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8
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Chen Y, Li Y, Fu Y, Jia L, Li L, Xu Z, Zhang N, Liu Y, Fan X, Xuan W, Xu G, Zhang R. The beneficial rhizobacterium Bacillus velezensis SQR9 regulates plant nitrogen uptake via an endogenous signaling pathway. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:3388-3400. [PMID: 38497798 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Nitrogen fertilizer is widely used in agriculture to boost crop yields. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) can increase plant nitrogen use efficiency through nitrogen fixation and organic nitrogen mineralization. However, it is not known whether they can activate plant nitrogen uptake. In this study, we investigated the effects of volatile compounds (VCs) emitted by the PGPR strain Bacillus velezensis SQR9 on plant nitrogen uptake. Strain SQR9 VCs promoted nitrogen accumulation in both rice and Arabidopsis. In addition, isotope labeling experiments showed that strain SQR9 VCs promoted the absorption of nitrate and ammonium. Several key nitrogen-uptake genes were up-regulated by strain SQR9 VCs, such as AtNRT2.1 in Arabidopsis and OsNAR2.1, OsNRT2.3a, and OsAMT1 family members in rice, and the deletion of these genes compromised the promoting effect of strain SQR9 VCs on plant nitrogen absorption. Furthermore, calcium and the transcription factor NIN-LIKE PROTEIN 7 play an important role in nitrate uptake promoted by strain SQR9 VCs. Taken together, our results indicate that PGPRs can promote nitrogen uptake through regulating plant endogenous signaling and nitrogen transport pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yucong Li
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yansong Fu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Letian Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Lun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhihui Xu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xiaorong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wei Xuan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Guohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement and MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Lower-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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9
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Puri D, Allison KR. Escherichia coli self-organizes developmental rosettes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315850121. [PMID: 38814871 PMCID: PMC11161754 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315850121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Rosettes are self-organizing, circular multicellular communities that initiate developmental processes, like organogenesis and embryogenesis, in complex organisms. Their formation results from the active repositioning of adhered sister cells and is thought to distinguish multicellular organisms from unicellular ones. Though common in eukaryotes, this multicellular behavior has not been reported in bacteria. In this study, we found that Escherichia coli forms rosettes by active sister-cell repositioning. After division, sister cells "fold" to actively align at the 2- and 4-cell stages of clonal division, thereby producing rosettes with characteristic quatrefoil configuration. Analysis revealed that folding follows an angular random walk, composed of ~1 µm strokes and directional randomization. We further showed that this motion was produced by the flagellum, the extracellular tail whose rotation generates swimming motility. Rosette formation was found to require de novo flagella synthesis suggesting it must balance the opposing forces of Ag43 adhesion and flagellar propulsion. We went on to show that proper rosette formation was required for subsequent morphogenesis of multicellular chains, rpoS gene expression, and formation of hydrostatic clonal-chain biofilms. Moreover, we found self-folding rosette-like communities in the standard motility assay, indicating that this behavior may be a general response to hydrostatic environments in E. coli. These findings establish self-organization of clonal rosettes by a prokaryote and have implications for evolutionary biology, synthetic biology, and medical microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devina Puri
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30322
| | - Kyle R. Allison
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA30322
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30322
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10
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Vishwakarma A, Verma D. Smokeless Tobacco Harbors Bacteria Involved in Biofilm Formation as Well as Salt and Heavy Metal Tolerance Activity. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 196:3034-3055. [PMID: 37610514 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04689-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
In our previous culture-independent study on smokeless tobacco products, we have observed a strong positive correlation between several bacteria and genes involved in nitrate/nitrite reduction, biofilm formation, and pro-inflammation. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to analyze the inhabitant bacterial population of the Indian ST products for assessing the health-associated risk attributes using culture-dependent approach. Traditional cultivation approaches recovered several bacterial isolates from commercial ST products on different culture media. A high colony formation unit (CFU) count was observed that ranged from 173 × 104 to 630.4 × 105 per gram of ST products. Of the 74 randomly selected and distinct bacterial isolates, 17 isolates showed a significantly enhanced growth (p-value < 0.05) in the presence of the aqueous tobacco extract. On biochemical characterization, these bacteria were identified as the member of Bacillus, Enterobacter, Micrococcus, Providencia, Serratia, Pantoea, Proteus, and Pseudomonas. Most of these bacteria also exhibited biofilm-forming activity, where eight bacterial isolates were identified for strong biofilm-forming action. 16S rRNA-based molecular characterization of these bacteria identified them as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus paralicheniformis, Enterobacter sp., Serratia marcescens, Pantoea anthophila, and Enterobacter cloacae. Moreover, these bacteria also exhibited the potential to withstand high salt and heavy metal concentrations. The findings demonstrate that Indian ST products are heavily populated with wide bacterial species exhibiting potential in biofilm formation, heavy metal resistance, and salt tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Vishwakarma
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, 226025, India
| | - Digvijay Verma
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, 226025, India.
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11
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Xue Y, Yu C, Ouyang H, Huang J, Kang X. Uncovering the Molecular Composition and Architecture of the Bacillus subtilis Biofilm via Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:11906-11923. [PMID: 38629727 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The complex and dynamic compositions of biofilms, along with their sophisticated structural assembly mechanisms, endow them with exceptional capabilities to thrive in diverse conditions that are typically unfavorable for individual cells. Characterizing biofilms in their native state is significantly challenging due to their intrinsic complexities and the limited availability of noninvasive techniques. Here, we utilized solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to analyze Bacillus subtilis biofilms in-depth. Our data uncover a dynamically distinct organization within the biofilm: a dominant, hydrophilic, and mobile framework interspersed with minor, rigid cores of limited water accessibility. In these heterogeneous rigid cores, the major components are largely self-assembled. TasA fibers, the most robust elements, further provide a degree of mechanical support for the cell aggregates and some lipid vesicles. Notably, rigid cell aggregates can persist even without the major extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) polymers, although this leads to slight variations in their rigidity and water accessibility. Exopolysaccharides are exclusively present in the mobile domain, playing a pivotal role in its water retention property. Specifically, all water molecules are tightly bound within the biofilm matrix. These findings reveal a dual-layered defensive strategy within the biofilm: a diffusion barrier through limited water mobility in the mobile phase and a physical barrier posed by limited water accessibility in the rigid phase. Complementing these discoveries, our comprehensive, in situ compositional analysis is not only essential for delineating the sophisticated biofilm architecture but also reveals the presence of alternative genetic mechanisms for synthesizing exopolysaccharides beyond the known pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xue
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Chenjie Yu
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Han Ouyang
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Jiaofang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xue Kang
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
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12
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Wang L, Huang J, Chen S, Su X, Zhang X, Wang L, Zhang W, Wang Z, Zeng Q, Wang Q, Li Y. Endogenous cell wall degrading enzyme LytD is important for the biocontrol activity of Bacillus subtilis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1381018. [PMID: 38660441 PMCID: PMC11039861 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1381018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Autolysins are endogenous cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) in bacteria that remodel the peptidoglycan layer of its own cell wall. In the Bacillus subtilis genome, at least 35 autolysin genes have been identified. However, the study of their roles in bacterial physiology has been hampered by their complexity and functional redundancy. B. subtilis GLB191 is an effective biocontrol strain against grape downy mildew disease, the biocontrol effect of which results from both direct effect against the pathogen and stimulation of the plant defense. In this study, we show that the autolysin N-acetylglucosaminidase LytD, a major autolysin of vegetative growth in B. subtilis, plays an important role in its biocontrol activity against grape downy mildew. Disruption of lytD resulted in reduced suppression of the pathogen Plasmopara viticola and stimulation of the plant defense. LytD is also shown to affect the biofilm formation and colonization of B. subtilis on grape leaves. This is the first report that demonstrates the role of an endogenous CWDE in suppressing plant disease infection of a biological control microorganism. These findings not only expand our knowledge on the biological function of autolysins but also provide a new target to promote the biocontrol activity of B. subtilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luotao Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianquan Huang
- The Research Institute of Forestry and Pomology, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Si Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Su
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xun Zhang
- Airport Research Institute, China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Lujun Wang
- Weinan Grapevine Research Institute, Weinan, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Weinan Grapevine Research Institute, Weinan, China
| | - Zhenshuo Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qingchao Zeng
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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Childs A, Chand D, Pereira J, Santra S, Rajaraman S. BacteSign: Building a Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) Database for Universal Bacterial Identification. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:176. [PMID: 38667169 PMCID: PMC11047924 DOI: 10.3390/bios14040176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
With the increasing incidence of diverse global bacterial outbreaks, it is important to build an immutable decentralized database that can capture regional changes in bacterial resistance with time. Herein, we investigate the use of a rapid 3D printed µbiochamber with a laser-ablated interdigitated electrode developed for biofilm analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Bacillus subtilis using electrochemical biological impedance spectroscopy (EBIS) across a 48 h spectrum, along with novel ladder-based minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) stencil tests against oxytetracycline, kanamycin, penicillin G and streptomycin. Furthermore, in this investigation, a search query database has been built demonstrating the deterministic nature of the bacterial strains with real and imaginary impedance, phase, and capacitance, showing increased bacterial specification selectivity in the 9772.37 Hz range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Childs
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
| | - David Chand
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Jorge Pereira
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Swadeshmukul Santra
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Swaminathan Rajaraman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
- NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32826, USA
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
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14
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Tokunou Y, Tongu H, Kogure Y, Okamoto A, Toyofuku M, Nomura N. Colony-Based Electrochemistry Reveals Electron Conduction Mechanisms Mediated by Cytochromes and Flavins in Shewanella oneidensis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4670-4679. [PMID: 38411077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria utilize electron conduction in their communities to drive their metabolism, which has led to the development of various environmental technologies, such as electrochemical microbial systems and anaerobic digestion. It is challenging to measure the conductivity among bacterial cells when they hardly form stable biofilms on electrodes. This makes it difficult to identify the biomolecules involved in electron conduction. In the present study, we aimed to identify c-type cytochromes involved in electron conduction in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and examine the molecular mechanisms. We established a colony-based bioelectronic system that quantifies bacterial electrical conductivity, without the need for biofilm formation on electrodes. This system enabled the quantification of the conductivity of gene deletion mutants that scarcely form biofilms on electrodes, demonstrating that c-type cytochromes, MtrC and OmcA, are involved in electron conduction. Furthermore, the use of colonies of gene deletion mutants demonstrated that flavins participate in electron conduction by binding to OmcA, providing insight into the electron conduction pathways at the molecular level. Furthermore, phenazine-based electron transfer in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and flavin-based electron transfer in Bacillus subtilis 3610 were confirmed, indicating that this colony-based system can be used for various bacteria, including weak electricigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihide Tokunou
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Tongu
- Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Yugo Kogure
- Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Akihiro Okamoto
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
- School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, 13 Kita, 8 Nishi, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
- Living Systems Materialogy (LiSM) Research Group, International Research Frontiers Initiative (IRFI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 226-8501, Japan
| | - Masanori Toyofuku
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
- Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Nomura
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
- Microbiology Research Center for Sustainability, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
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15
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Zhu X, Xiang Q, Chen L, Chen J, Wang L, Jiang N, Hao X, Zhang H, Wang X, Li Y, Omer R, Zhang L, Wang Y, Zhuang Y, Huang J. Engineered Bacillus subtilis Biofilm@Biochar living materials for in-situ sensing and bioremediation of heavy metal ions pollution. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133119. [PMID: 38134689 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The simultaneous sensing and remediation of multiple heavy metal ions in wastewater or soil with microorganisms is currently a significant challenge. In this study, the microorganism Bacillus subtilis was used as a chassis organism to construct two genetic circuits for sensing and adsorbing heavy-metal ions. The engineered biosensor can sense three heavy metal ions (0.1-75 μM of Pb2+ and Cu2+, 0.01-3.5 μM of Hg2+) in situ real-time with high sensitivity. The engineered B. subtilis TasA-metallothionein (TasA-MT) biofilm can specifically adsorb metal ions from the environment, exhibiting remarkable removal efficiencies of 99.5% for Pb2+, 99.9% for Hg2+and 99.5% for Cu2+ in water. Furthermore, this engineered strain (as a biosensor and absorber of Pb2+, Cu2+, and Hg2+) was incubated with biochar to form a hybrid biofilm@biochar (BBC) material that could be applied in the bioremediation of heavy metal ions. The results showed that BBC material not only significantly reduced exchangeable Pb2+ in the soil but also reduced Pb2+ accumulation in maize plants. In addition, it enhanced maize growth and biomass. In conclusion, this study examined the potential applications of biosensors and hybrid living materials constructed using sensing and adsorption circuits in B. subtilis, providing rapid and cost-effective tools for sensing and remediating multiple heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cu2+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Qinyuan Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Lin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Jianshu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Ning Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Xiangrui Hao
- Shanghai Nong Le Biological Products Company Limited (NLBP), Shanghai 201419, PR China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Shanghai Nong Le Biological Products Company Limited (NLBP), Shanghai 201419, PR China
| | - Xinhua Wang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Yaqian Li
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai 200240, PR China
| | - Rabia Omer
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Lingfan Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Yonghong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Yingping Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing (SCICB), East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China
| | - Jiaofang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China; College of Life Science, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, PR China.
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16
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Bakalakos M, Ampadiotaki MM, Vlachos C, Sipsas N, Pneumaticos S, Vlamis J. Molecular Mechanisms of Biofilm Formation on Orthopaedic Implants: Review of the Literature. MAEDICA 2024; 19:129-136. [PMID: 38736937 PMCID: PMC11079743 DOI: 10.26574/maedica.2021.19.1.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Orthopaedic implant-associated infections (OIAIs) is one of the most catastrophic complications following joint arthroplasty or fracture fixation. Given the increasing number of orthopaedic implants which are used annually, periprosthetic infections emerge as a global problem. Their diagnosis and consequent therapeutic management remain challenging for clinicians. Biofilm formation is a complex and only partially understood process that has not been extensively studied. Understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in biofilm formation is crucial in the amelioration of both diagnosis and therapeutic management of OIAIs. We performed a literature review of the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation and discussed the four most common and thoroughly researched microbes of biofilm-related OIAIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthaios Bakalakos
- 3rd Orthopaedic Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Christos Vlachos
- 3rd Orthopaedic Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Sipsas
- Infectious Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Spiros Pneumaticos
- 3rd Orthopaedic Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - John Vlamis
- 3rd Orthopaedic Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece
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17
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Camba C, Walter-Lakes B, Digal P, Taheri-Araghi S, Bezryadina A. Biofilm formation and manipulation with optical tweezers. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2024; 15:1181-1191. [PMID: 38404331 PMCID: PMC10890877 DOI: 10.1364/boe.510836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Some bacterial species form biofilms in suboptimal growth and environmental conditions. Biofilm structures allow the cells not only to optimize growth with nutrient availability but also to defend each other against external stress, such as antibiotics. Medical and bioengineering implications of biofilms have led to an increased interest in the regulation of bacterial biofilm formation. Prior research has primarily focused on mechanical and chemical approaches for stimulating and controlling biofilm formation, yet optical techniques are still largely unexplored. In this paper, we investigate the biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis in a minimum biofilm-promoting medium (MSgg media) and explore the potential of optical trapping in regulating bacterial aggregation and biofilm development. Specifically, we determine the most advantageous stage of bacterial biofilm formation for optical manipulation and investigate the impact of optical trapping at different wavelengths on the aggregation of bacterial cells and the formation of biofilm. The investigation of optically regulated biofilm formation with optical tweezers presents innovative methodologies for the stimulation and suppression of biofilm growth through the application of lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Czarlyn Camba
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | - Brooke Walter-Lakes
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | - Phillip Digal
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | - Sattar Taheri-Araghi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | - Anna Bezryadina
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, California State University Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
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18
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Ye Y, Ghrayeb M, Miercke S, Arif S, Müller S, Mascher T, Chai L, Zaburdaev V. Residual cells and nutrient availability guide wound healing in bacterial biofilms. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:1047-1060. [PMID: 38205608 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01032e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Biofilms are multicellular heterogeneous bacterial communities characterized by social-like division of labor, and remarkable robustness with respect to external stresses. Increasingly often an analogy between biofilms and arguably more complex eukaryotic tissues is being drawn. One illustrative example of where this analogy can be practically useful is the process of wound healing. While it has been extensively studied in eukaryotic tissues, the mechanism of wound healing in biofilms is virtually unexplored. Combining experiments in Bacillus subtilis bacteria, a model organism for biofilm formation, and a lattice-based theoretical model of biofilm growth, we studied how biofilms recover after macroscopic damage. We suggest that nutrient gradients and the abundance of proliferating cells are key factors augmenting wound closure. Accordingly, in the model, cell quiescence, nutrient fluxes, and biomass represented by cells and self-secreted extracellular matrix are necessary to qualitatively recapitulate the experimental results for damage repair. One of the surprising experimental findings is that residual cells, persisting in a damaged area after removal of a part of the biofilm, prominently affect the healing process. Taken together, our results outline the important roles of nutrient gradients and residual cells on biomass regrowth on macroscopic scales of the whole biofilm. The proposed combined experiment-simulation framework opens the way to further investigate the possible relation between wound healing, cell signaling and cell phenotype alternation in the local microenvironment of the wound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusong Ye
- Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mnar Ghrayeb
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | - Sania Arif
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susann Müller
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Liraz Chai
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vasily Zaburdaev
- Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
- Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
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19
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Yang P, Zeng Q, Jiang W, Wang L, Zhang J, Wang Z, Wang Q, Li Y. Genome Sequencing and Characterization of Bacillus velezensis N23 as Biocontrol Agent against Plant Pathogens. Microorganisms 2024; 12:294. [PMID: 38399699 PMCID: PMC10892835 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The overuse of chemical fungicides against fungal pathogens adversely affects soil and plant health, resulting in environmental problems and food safety. Therefore, biocontrol is considered as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective green technique in environmental protection and agricultural production. We obtained a bacterial strain N23 from a contaminated plate which showed significant inhibition to anthracnose. The strain N23 was identified as Bacillus velezensis based on 16S rRNA gene, gyrA gene, and whole-genome sequence. The bacterium N23 was able to suppress the mycelial growth of numerous plant pathogenic fungi on solid media. Tomato seeds treated with strain N23 showed significantly higher germination levels than untreated ones. Moreover, strain N23 effectively reduced the lesion area of pepper anthracnose disease in planta. The gene clusters responsible for antifungal metabolites (fengycin, surfactin, and iturin) were identified in the genome sequence of N23 based on genome mining and PCR. Furthermore, methanol extracts of the bacterial culture caused significant inhibition in growth of the fungal Colletotrichum sp. and Botrytis cinerea. These findings suggested that B. velezensis N23 could be a potential biocontrol agent in agricultural production and a source of antimicrobial compounds for further exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yan Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (P.Y.); (Q.Z.); (W.J.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (Z.W.); (Q.W.)
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20
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Dergham Y, Le Coq D, Bridier A, Sanchez-Vizuete P, Jbara H, Deschamps J, Hamze K, Yoshida KI, Noirot-Gros MF, Briandet R. Bacillus subtilis NDmed, a model strain for biofilm genetic studies. Biofilm 2023; 6:100152. [PMID: 37694162 PMCID: PMC10485040 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The Bacillus subtilis strain NDmed was isolated from an endoscope washer-disinfector in a medical environment. NDmed can form complex macrocolonies with highly wrinkled architectural structures on solid medium. In static liquid culture, it produces thick pellicles at the interface with air as well as remarkable highly protruding ''beanstalk-like'' submerged biofilm structures at the solid surface. Since these mucoid submerged structures are hyper-resistant to biocides, NDmed has the ability to protect pathogens embedded in mixed-species biofilms by sheltering them from the action of these agents. Additionally, this non-domesticated and highly biofilm forming strain has the propensity of being genetically manipulated. Due to all these properties, the NDmed strain becomes a valuable model for the study of B. subtilis biofilms. This review focuses on several studies performed with NDmed that have highlighted the sophisticated genetic dynamics at play during B. subtilis biofilm formation. Further studies in project using modern molecular tools of advanced technologies with this strain, will allow to deepen our knowledge on the emerging properties of multicellular bacterial life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Dergham
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Lebanese University, Faculty of Science, 1003 Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dominique Le Coq
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Arnaud Bridier
- Fougères Laboratory, Antibiotics, Biocides, Residues and Resistance Unit, Anses, 35300, Fougères, France
| | - Pilar Sanchez-Vizuete
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Hadi Jbara
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Julien Deschamps
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Kassem Hamze
- Lebanese University, Faculty of Science, 1003 Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Ken-ichi Yoshida
- Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan
| | | | - Romain Briandet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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21
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Schaal KA, Manhes P, Velicer GJ. Ecological histories determine the success of social exploitation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.14.571652. [PMID: 38168390 PMCID: PMC10760085 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.14.571652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Ecological context often modifies biotic interactions, yet effects of ecological history are poorly understood. In experiments with the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus , resource-level histories of genotypes interacting during cooperative multicellular development were found to strongly regulate social fitness. Yet how developmental spore production responded to variation in resource-level histories between interactants differed greatly between cooperators and cheaters; relative-fitness advantages gained by cheating after high-resource growth were generally reduced or absent if one or both parties experienced low-resource growth. Low-resource growth also eliminated facultative exploitation in some pairwise mixes of cooperation-proficient natural isolates that occurs when both strains have grown under resource abundance. Our results contrast with previous studies in which cooperator fitness correlated positively with resource level and suggest that resource-level variation may be important in regulating whether exploitation of cooperators occurs in a natural context.
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22
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Bohorquez LC, de Sousa J, Garcia-Garcia T, Dugar G, Wang B, Jonker MJ, Noirot-Gros MF, Lalk M, Hamoen LW. Metabolic and chromosomal changes in a Bacillus subtilis whiA mutant. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0179523. [PMID: 37916812 PMCID: PMC10714963 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01795-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE WhiA is a conserved DNA-binding protein that influences cell division in many Gram-positive bacteria and, in B. subtilis, also chromosome segregation. How WhiA works in Bacillus subtilis is unknown. Here, we tested three hypothetical mechanisms using metabolomics, fatty acid analysis, and chromosome confirmation capture experiments. This revealed that WhiA does not influence cell division and chromosome segregation by modulating either central carbon metabolism or fatty acid composition. However, the inactivation of WhiA reduces short-range chromosome interactions. These findings provide new avenues to study the molecular mechanism of WhiA in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Bohorquez
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joana de Sousa
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Transito Garcia-Garcia
- Laboratoire de Genetique Microbienne, Domaine de Vilvert, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Gaurav Dugar
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Biwen Wang
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martijs J. Jonker
- RNA Biology and Applied Bioinformatics Research Group, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marie-Françoise Noirot-Gros
- Laboratoire de Genetique Microbienne, Domaine de Vilvert, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Michael Lalk
- Institute of Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Leendert W. Hamoen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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23
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Galkin AP, Sysoev EI, Valina AA. Amyloids and prions in the light of evolution. Curr Genet 2023; 69:189-202. [PMID: 37165144 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-023-01270-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Functional amyloids have been identified in a wide variety of organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants, and vertebrates. Intracellular and extracellular amyloid fibrils of different proteins perform storage, protective, structural, and regulatory functions. The structural organization of amyloid fibrils determines their unique physical and biochemical properties. The formation of these fibrillar structures can provide adaptive advantages that are picked up by natural selection. Despite the great interest in functional and pathological amyloids, questions about the conservatism of the amyloid properties of proteins and the regularities in the appearance of these fibrillar structures in evolution remain almost unexplored. Using bioinformatics approaches and summarizing the data published previously, we have shown that amyloid fibrils performing similar functions in different organisms have been arising repeatedly and independently in the course of evolution. On the other hand, we show that the amyloid properties of a number of bacterial and eukaryotic proteins are evolutionarily conserved. We also discuss the role of protein-based inheritance in the evolution of microorganisms. Considering that missense mutations and the emergence of prions cause the same consequences, we propose the concept that the formation of prions, similarly to mutations, generally causes a negative effect, although it can also lead to adaptations in rare cases. In general, our analysis revealed certain patterns in the emergence and spread of amyloid fibrillar structures in the course of evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey P Galkin
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, St. Petersburg Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034.
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034.
| | - Evgeniy I Sysoev
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, St. Petersburg Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034
| | - Anna A Valina
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199034
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Dergham Y, Le Coq D, Nicolas P, Bidnenko E, Dérozier S, Deforet M, Huillet E, Sanchez-Vizuete P, Deschamps J, Hamze K, Briandet R. Direct comparison of spatial transcriptional heterogeneity across diverse Bacillus subtilis biofilm communities. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7546. [PMID: 37985771 PMCID: PMC10661151 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43386-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis can form various types of spatially organised communities on surfaces, such as colonies, pellicles and submerged biofilms. These communities share similarities and differences, and phenotypic heterogeneity has been reported for each type of community. Here, we studied spatial transcriptional heterogeneity across the three types of surface-associated communities. Using RNA-seq analysis of different regions or populations for each community type, we identified genes that are specifically expressed within each selected population. We constructed fluorescent transcriptional fusions for 17 of these genes, and observed their expression in submerged biofilms using time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). We found mosaic expression patterns for some genes; in particular, we observed spatially segregated cells displaying opposite regulation of carbon metabolism genes (gapA and gapB), indicative of distinct glycolytic or gluconeogenic regimes coexisting in the same biofilm region. Overall, our study provides a direct comparison of spatial transcriptional heterogeneity, at different scales, for the three main models of B. subtilis surface-associated communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Dergham
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Lebanese University, Faculty of Science, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dominique Le Coq
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Pierre Nicolas
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, MAIAGE, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Elena Bidnenko
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Sandra Dérozier
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, MAIAGE, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Maxime Deforet
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Laboratoire Jean Perrin, Paris, France
| | - Eugénie Huillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Pilar Sanchez-Vizuete
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Julien Deschamps
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Kassem Hamze
- Lebanese University, Faculty of Science, Beirut, Lebanon.
| | - Romain Briandet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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25
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Arnaouteli S, Bamford NC, Brandani GB, Morris RJ, Schor M, Carrington JT, Hobley L, van Aalten DMF, Stanley-Wall NR, MacPhee CE. Lateral interactions govern self-assembly of the bacterial biofilm matrix protein BslA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2312022120. [PMID: 37903266 PMCID: PMC7615278 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312022120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis is a model organism to investigate the formation of biofilms, the predominant form of microbial life. The secreted protein BslA self-assembles at the surface of the biofilm to give the B. subtilis biofilm its characteristic hydrophobicity. To understand the mechanism of BslA self-assembly at interfaces, here we built a molecular model based on the previous BslA crystal structure and the crystal structure of the BslA paralogue YweA that we determined. Our analysis revealed two conserved protein-protein interaction interfaces supporting BslA self-assembly into an infinite 2-dimensional lattice that fits previously determined transmission microscopy images. Molecular dynamics simulations and in vitro protein assays further support our model of BslA elastic film formation, while mutagenesis experiments highlight the importance of the identified interactions for biofilm structure. Based on this knowledge, YweA was engineered to form more stable elastic films and rescue biofilm structure in bslA deficient strains. These findings shed light on protein film assembly and will inform the development of BslA technologies which range from surface coatings to emulsions in fast-moving consumer goods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Arnaouteli
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DundeeDD5 4EH, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie C. Bamford
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DundeeDD5 4EH, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni B. Brandani
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto606 8501, Japan
| | - Ryan J. Morris
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3FD, United Kingdom
| | - Marieke Schor
- UB Education, Content & Support, Maastricht University, Maastricht6211 LK, Netherlands
| | - Jamie T. Carrington
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3RE, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Hobley
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, NottinghamNG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Daan M. F. van Aalten
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DundeeDD5 4EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Aarhus8000, Denmark
| | - Nicola R. Stanley-Wall
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, DundeeDD5 4EH, United Kingdom
| | - Cait E. MacPhee
- National Biofilms Innovation Centre, School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, EdinburghEH9 3FD, United Kingdom
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26
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Arbour CA, Nagar R, Bernstein HM, Ghosh S, Al-Sammarraie Y, Dorfmueller HC, Ferguson MAJ, Stanley-Wall NR, Imperiali B. Defining early steps in Bacillus subtilis biofilm biosynthesis. mBio 2023; 14:e0094823. [PMID: 37650625 PMCID: PMC10653937 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00948-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Biofilms are the communal way of life that microbes adopt to increase survival. Key to our ability to systematically promote or ablate biofilm formation is a detailed understanding of the biofilm matrix macromolecules. Here, we identify the first two essential steps in the Bacillus subtilis biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis pathway. Together, our studies and approaches provide the foundation for the sequential characterization of the steps in EPS biosynthesis, using prior steps to enable chemoenzymatic synthesis of the undecaprenyl diphosphate-linked glycan substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A. Arbour
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rupa Nagar
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah M. Bernstein
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Soumi Ghosh
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yusra Al-Sammarraie
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Helge C. Dorfmueller
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Michael A. J. Ferguson
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola R. Stanley-Wall
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara Imperiali
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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27
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Díaz-Rullo J, González-Pastor JE. tRNA queuosine modification is involved in biofilm formation and virulence in bacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9821-9837. [PMID: 37638766 PMCID: PMC10570037 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
tRNA modifications are crucial for fine-tuning of protein translation. Queuosine (Q) modification of tRNAs is thought to modulate the translation rate of NAU codons, but its physiological role remains elusive. Therefore, we hypothesize that Q-tRNAs control those physiological processes involving NAU codon-enriched genes (Q-genes). Here, we report a novel bioinformatic strategy to predict Q-genes, revealing a widespread enrichment in functions, especially those related to biofilm formation and virulence in bacteria, and particularly in human pathogens. Indeed, we experimentally verified that these processes were significantly affected by altering the degree of tRNA Q-modification in different model bacteria, representing the first report of a general mechanism controlling biofilm formation and virulence in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria possibly through the coordination of the expression of functionally related genes. Furthermore, we propose that changes in Q availability in a microbiome would affect its functionality. Our findings open the door to the control of bacterial infections and biofilm formation by inhibition of tRNA Q-modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Díaz-Rullo
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Eduardo González-Pastor
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz 28850, Madrid, Spain
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28
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Yaraguppi DA, Bagewadi ZK, Patil NR, Mantri N. Iturin: A Promising Cyclic Lipopeptide with Diverse Applications. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1515. [PMID: 37892197 PMCID: PMC10604914 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive review examines iturin, a cyclic lipopeptide originating from Bacillus subtilis and related bacteria. These compounds are structurally diverse and possess potent inhibitory effects against plant disease-causing bacteria and fungi. Notably, Iturin A exhibits strong antifungal properties and low toxicity, making it valuable for bio-pesticides and mycosis treatment. Emerging research reveals additional capabilities, including anticancer and hemolytic features. Iturin finds applications across industries. In food, iturin as a biosurfactant serves beyond surface tension reduction, enhancing emulsions and texture. Biosurfactants are significant in soil remediation, agriculture, wound healing, and sustainability. They also show promise in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) in the petroleum industry. The pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries recognize iturin's diverse properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, and anti-obesity effects. Cosmetic applications span emulsification, anti-wrinkle, and antibacterial use. Understanding iturin's structure, synthesis, and applications gains importance as biosurfactant and lipopeptide research advances. This review focuses on emphasizing iturin's structural characteristics, production methods, biological effects, and applications across industries. It probes iturin's antibacterial, antifungal potential, antiviral efficacy, and cancer treatment capabilities. It explores diverse applications in food, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, considering recent developments, challenges, and prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak A. Yaraguppi
- Department of Biotechnology, KLE Technological University, Hubballi 580031, Karnataka, India;
| | - Zabin K. Bagewadi
- Department of Biotechnology, KLE Technological University, Hubballi 580031, Karnataka, India;
| | - Ninganagouda R. Patil
- Department of Physics, B. V Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology, Hubballi 580031, Karnataka, India;
| | - Nitin Mantri
- The Pangenomics Lab, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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29
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Zanditenas E, Trebicz-Geffen M, Kolli D, Domínguez-García L, Farhi E, Linde L, Romero D, Chapman M, Kolodkin-Gal I, Ankri S. Digestive exophagy of biofilms by intestinal amoeba and its impact on stress tolerance and cytotoxicity. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:77. [PMID: 37813896 PMCID: PMC10562373 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00444-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The human protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is responsible for amebiasis, a disease endemic to developing countries. E. histolytica trophozoites colonize the large intestine, primarily feeding on bacteria. However, in the gastrointestinal tract, bacterial cells form aggregates or structured communities called biofilms too large for phagocytosis. Remarkably, trophozoites are still able to invade and degrade established biofilms, utilizing a mechanism that mimics digestive exophagy. Digestive exophagy refers to the secretion of digestive enzymes that promote the digestion of objects too large for direct phagocytosis by phagocytes. E. histolytica cysteine proteinases (CPs) play a crucial role in the degradation process of Bacillus subtilis biofilm. These proteinases target TasA, a major component of the B. subtilis biofilm matrix, also contributing to the adhesion of the parasite to the biofilm. In addition, they are also involved in the degradation of biofilms formed by Gram-negative and Gram-positive enteric pathogens. Furthermore, biofilms also play an important role in protecting trophozoites against oxidative stress. This specific mechanism suggests that the amoeba has adapted to prey on biofilms, potentially serving as an untapped reservoir for novel therapeutic approaches to treat biofilms. Consistently, products derived from the amoeba have been shown to restore antibiotic sensitivity to biofilm cells. In addition, our findings reveal that probiotic biofilms can act as a protective shield for mammalian cells, hindering the progression of the parasite towards them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Zanditenas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Meirav Trebicz-Geffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Divya Kolli
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Laura Domínguez-García
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', Universidad de Málaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Einan Farhi
- Technion Genomics Center, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Liat Linde
- Technion Genomics Center, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Diego Romero
- Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea 'La Mayora', Universidad de Málaga-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Matthew Chapman
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Ilana Kolodkin-Gal
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food & Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
- Scojen Institute for Synthetic Biology, Reichman University, Herzliya, Israel.
| | - Serge Ankri
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel.
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30
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Asif M, Li-Qun Z, Zeng Q, Atiq M, Ahmad K, Tariq A, Al-Ansari N, Blom J, Fenske L, Alodaini HA, Hatamleh AA. Comprehensive genomic analysis of Bacillus paralicheniformis strain BP9, pan-genomic and genetic basis of biocontrol mechanism. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4647-4662. [PMID: 37841331 PMCID: PMC10568305 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Many Bacillus species are essential antibacterial agents, but their antibiosis potential still needs to be elucidated to its full extent. Here, we isolated a soil bacterium, BP9, which has significant antibiosis activity against fungal and bacterial pathogens. BP9 improved the growth of wheat seedlings via active colonization and demonstrated effective biofilm and swarming activity. BP9 sequenced genome contains 4282 genes with a mean G-C content of 45.94% of the whole genome. A single copy concatenated 802 core genes of 28 genomes, and their calculated average nucleotide identity (ANI) discriminated the strain BP9 from Bacillus licheniformis and classified it as Bacillus paralicheniformis. Furthermore, a comparative pan-genome analysis of 40 B. paralicheniformis strains suggested that the genetic repertoire of BP9 belongs to open-type genome species. A comparative analysis of a pan-genome dataset using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Cluster of Orthologous Gene groups (COG) revealed the diversity of secondary metabolic pathways, where BP9 distinguishes itself by exhibiting a greater prevalence of loci associated with the metabolism and transportation of organic and inorganic substances, carbohydrate and amino acid for effective inhabitation in diverse environments. The primary secondary metabolites and their genes involved in synthesizing bacillibactin, fencing, bacitracin, and lantibiotics were identified as acquired through a recent Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) event, which contributes to a significant part of the strain`s antimicrobial potential. Finally, we report some genes essential for plant-host interaction identified in BP9, which reduce spore germination and virulence of multiple fungal and bacterial species. The effective colonization, diverse predicted metabolic pathways and secondary metabolites (antibiotics) suggest testing the suitability of strain BP9 as a potential bio-preparation in agricultural fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asif
- Department of Plant Pathology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhang Li-Qun
- Department of Plant Pathology and MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Qingchao Zeng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Muhammad Atiq
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Khalil Ahmad
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Aqil Tariq
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State, University, MS 39762-9690, USA
| | | | - Jochen Blom
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Linda Fenske
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Hissah Abdulrahman Alodaini
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ashraf Atef Hatamleh
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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31
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Belcher LJ, Dewar AE, Hao C, Ghoul M, West SA. Signatures of kin selection in a natural population of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis. Evol Lett 2023; 7:315-330. [PMID: 37829498 PMCID: PMC10565896 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Laboratory experiments have suggested that bacteria perform a range of cooperative behaviors, which are favored because they are directed toward relatives (kin selection). However, there is a lack of evidence for cooperation and kin selection in natural bacterial populations. Molecular population genetics offers a promising method to study natural populations because the theory predicts that kin selection will lead to relaxed selection, which will result in increased polymorphism and divergence at cooperative genes. Examining a natural population of Bacillus subtilis, we found consistent evidence that putatively cooperative traits have higher polymorphism and greater divergence than putatively private traits expressed at the same rate. In addition, we were able to eliminate alternative explanations for these patterns and found more deleterious mutations in genes controlling putatively cooperative traits. Overall, our results suggest that cooperation is favored by kin selection, with an average relatedness of r = .79 between interacting individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna E Dewar
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Chunhui Hao
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Ghoul
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart A West
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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van Gestel J, Wagner A, Ackermann M. Pleiotropic hubs drive bacterial surface competition through parallel changes in colony composition and expansion. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002338. [PMID: 37844064 PMCID: PMC10578586 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria commonly adhere to surfaces where they compete for both space and resources. Despite the importance of surface growth, it remains largely elusive how bacteria evolve on surfaces. We previously performed an evolution experiment where we evolved distinct Bacilli populations under a selective regime that favored colony spreading. In just a few weeks, colonies of Bacillus subtilis showed strongly advanced expansion rates, increasing their radius 2.5-fold relative to that of the ancestor. Here, we investigate what drives their rapid evolution by performing a uniquely detailed analysis of the evolutionary changes in colony development. We find mutations in diverse global regulators, RicT, RNAse Y, and LexA, with strikingly similar pleiotropic effects: They lower the rate of sporulation and simultaneously facilitate colony expansion by either reducing extracellular polysaccharide production or by promoting filamentous growth. Combining both high-throughput flow cytometry and gene expression profiling, we show that regulatory mutations lead to highly reproducible and parallel changes in global gene expression, affecting approximately 45% of all genes. This parallelism results from the coordinated manner by which regulators change activity both during colony development-in the transition from vegetative growth to dormancy-and over evolutionary time. This coordinated activity can however also break down, leading to evolutionary divergence. Altogether, we show how global regulators function as major pleiotropic hubs that drive rapid surface adaptation by mediating parallel changes in both colony composition and expansion, thereby massively reshaping gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi van Gestel
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Wagner
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
- The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States of America
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Martin Ackermann
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Switzerland
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33
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Leñini C, Rodriguez Ayala F, Goñi AJ, Rateni L, Nakamura A, Grau RR. Probiotic properties of Bacillus subtilis DG101 isolated from the traditional Japanese fermented food nattō. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1253480. [PMID: 37840737 PMCID: PMC10569484 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1253480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Spore-forming probiotic bacteria offer interesting properties as they have an intrinsic high stability, and when consumed, they are able to survive the adverse conditions encountered during the transit thorough the host gastrointestinal (GI) tract. A traditional healthy food, nattō, exists in Japan consisting of soy fermented by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus subtilis natto. The consumption of nattō is linked to many beneficial health effects, including the prevention of high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular-associated disease. We hypothesize that the bacterium B. subtilis natto plays a key role in the beneficial effects of nattō for humans. Here, we present the isolation of B. subtilis DG101 from nattō and its characterization as a novel spore-forming probiotic strain for human consumption. B. subtilis DG101 was non-hemolytic and showed high tolerance to lysozyme, low pH, bile salts, and a strong adherence ability to extracellular matrix proteins (i.e., fibronectin and collagen), demonstrating its potential application for competitive exclusion of pathogens. B. subtilis DG101 forms robust liquid and solid biofilms and expresses several extracellular enzymes with activity against food diet-associated macromolecules (i.e., proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides) that would be important to improve food diet digestion by the host. B. subtilis DG101 was able to grow in the presence of toxic metals (i.e., chromium, cadmium, and arsenic) and decreased their bioavailability, a feature that points to this probiotic as an interesting agent for bioremediation in cases of food and water poisoning with metals. In addition, B. subtilis DG101 was sensitive to antibiotics commonly used to treat infections in medical settings, and at the same time, it showed a potent antimicrobial effect against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. In mammalians (i.e., rats), B. subtilis DG101 colonized the GI tract, and improved the lipid and protein serum homeostasis of animals fed on the base of a normal- or a deficient-diet regime (dietary restriction). In the animal model for longevity studies, Caenorhabditis elegans, B. subtilis DG101 significantly increased the animal lifespan and prevented its age-related behavioral decay. Overall, these results demonstrate that B. subtilis DG101 is the key component of nattō with interesting probiotic properties to improve and protect human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Leñini
- Departamento de Microbiología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Facundo Rodriguez Ayala
- Departamento de Microbiología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Anibal Juan Goñi
- Departamento de Microbiología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Liliana Rateni
- Departamento de Microbiología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Akira Nakamura
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Roberto Ricardo Grau
- Departamento de Microbiología, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
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Li J, Yang C, Jousset A, Yang K, Wang X, Xu Z, Yang T, Mei X, Zhong Z, Xu Y, Shen Q, Friman VP, Wei Z. Engineering multifunctional rhizosphere probiotics using consortia of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens transposon insertion mutants. eLife 2023; 12:e90726. [PMID: 37706503 PMCID: PMC10519709 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
While bacterial diversity is beneficial for the functioning of rhizosphere microbiomes, multi-species bioinoculants often fail to promote plant growth. One potential reason for this is that competition between different species of inoculated consortia members creates conflicts for their survival and functioning. To circumvent this, we used transposon insertion mutagenesis to increase the functional diversity within Bacillus amyloliquefaciens bacterial species and tested if we could improve plant growth promotion by assembling consortia of highly clonal but phenotypically dissimilar mutants. While most insertion mutations were harmful, some significantly improved B. amyloliquefaciens plant growth promotion traits relative to the wild-type strain. Eight phenotypically distinct mutants were selected to test if their functioning could be improved by applying them as multifunctional consortia. We found that B. amyloliquefaciens consortium richness correlated positively with plant root colonization and protection from Ralstonia solanacearum phytopathogenic bacterium. Crucially, 8-mutant consortium consisting of phenotypically dissimilar mutants performed better than randomly assembled 8-mutant consortia, suggesting that improvements were likely driven by consortia multifunctionality instead of consortia richness. Together, our results suggest that increasing intra-species phenotypic diversity could be an effective way to improve probiotic consortium functioning and plant growth promotion in agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Li
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Chunlan Yang
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Alexandre Jousset
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Keming Yang
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xiaofang Wang
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Zhihui Xu
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Tianjie Yang
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xinlan Mei
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Zengtao Zhong
- College of Life Science, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Yangchun Xu
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Qirong Shen
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Ville-Petri Friman
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
- Department of Microbiology, University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Zhong Wei
- Key Lab of Organic-based Fertilizers of China and Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjingChina
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Danevčič T, Spacapan M, Dragoš A, Kovács ÁT, Mandic-Mulec I. DegQ is an important policing link between quorum sensing and regulated adaptative traits in Bacillus subtilis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0090823. [PMID: 37676037 PMCID: PMC10581247 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00908-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is a widespread bacterial communication system that controls important adaptive traits in a cell density-dependent manner. However, mechanisms by which QS-regulated traits are linked within the cell and mechanisms by which these links affect adaptation are not well understood. In this study, Bacillus subtilis was used as a model bacterium to investigate the link between the ComQXPA QS system, DegQ, surfactin and protease production in planktonic and biofilm cultures. The work tests two alternative hypotheses predicting that hypersensitivity of the QS signal-deficient mutant (comQ::kan) to exogenously added ComX, resulting in increased surfactin production, is linked to an additional genetic locus, or alternatively, to overexpression of the ComX receptor ComP. Results are in agreement with the first hypothesis and show that the P srfAA hypersensitivity of the comQ::kan mutant is linked to a 168 strain-specific mutation in the P degQ region. Hence, the markerless ΔcomQ mutant lacking this mutation is not overresponsive to ComX. Such hyper-responsiveness is specific for the P srfAA and not detected in another ComX-regulated promoter, the P aprE , which is under the positive control by DegQ. Our results suggest that DegQ by exerting differential effect on P srfAA and P aprE acts as a policing mechanism and the intracellular link, which guards the cell from an overinvestment into surfactin production. IMPORTANCE DegQ levels are known to regulate surfactin synthesis and extracellular protease production, and DegQ is under the control of the ComX-dependent QS. DegQ also serves as an important policing link between these QS-regulated processes, preventing overinvestment in these costly processes. This work highlights the importance of DegQ, which acts as the intracellular link between ComX production and the response by regulating extracellular degradative enzyme synthesis and surfactin production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjaša Danevčič
- Department of Microbiology, Chair of microbial ecology and physiology, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mihael Spacapan
- Department of Microbiology, Chair of microbial ecology and physiology, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anna Dragoš
- Department of Microbiology, Chair of microbial ecology and physiology, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ákos T. Kovács
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ines Mandic-Mulec
- Department of Microbiology, Chair of microbial ecology and physiology, University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Bareia T, Pollak S, Guler P, Puyesky S, Eldar A. Major distinctions between the two oligopeptide permease systems of Bacillus subtilis with respect to signaling, development and evolutionary divergence. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001382. [PMID: 37755230 PMCID: PMC10569065 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Oligopeptide-permeases (Opps) are used by bacteria to import short peptides. In addition to their metabolic benefit, imported short peptides are used in many Gram-positive bacteria as signalling molecules of the RRNPP super-family of quorum-sensing systems, making Opps an integral part of cell–cell communication. In some Gram-positive bacteria there exist multiple Opps and the relative importance of those to RRNPP quorum sensing are not fully clear. Specifically, in Bacillus subtilis , the Gram-positive model species, there exist two homologous oligopeptide permeases named Opp and App. Previous work showed that the App system is mutated in lab strain 168 and its recovery partially complements an Opp mutation for several developmental processes. Yet, the nature of the impact of App on signalling and development in wild-type strains, where both permeases are active was not studied. Here we re-examine the impact of the two permease systems. We find that App has a minor contribution to biofilm formation, surfactin production and phage infection compared to the effect of Opp. This reduced effect is also reflected in its lower ability to import the signals of four different Rap-Phr RRNPP systems. Further analysis of the App system revealed that, unlike Opp, some App genes have undergone horizontal transfer, resulting in two distinct divergent alleles of this system in B. subtilis strains. We found that both alleles were substantially better adapted than the Opp system to import an exogenous RRNPP signal of the Bacillus cereus group PlcR-PapR system. In summary, we find that the App system has only a minor role in signalling but may still be crucial for the import of other peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasneem Bareia
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Present address: Department of Plant & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Shaul Pollak
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
- Present address: Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Science, University of Vienna, Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Polina Guler
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Shani Puyesky
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Avigdor Eldar
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
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Yannarell SM, Beaudoin ES, Talley HS, Schoenborn AA, Orr G, Anderton CR, Chrisler WB, Shank EA. Extensive cellular multi-tasking within Bacillus subtilis biofilms. mSystems 2023; 8:e0089122. [PMID: 37527273 PMCID: PMC10469600 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00891-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis is a soil-dwelling bacterium that can form biofilms, or communities of cells surrounded by a self-produced extracellular matrix. In biofilms, genetically identical cells often exhibit heterogeneous transcriptional phenotypes, so that subpopulations of cells carry out essential yet costly cellular processes that allow the entire population to thrive. Surprisingly, the extent of phenotypic heterogeneity and the relationships between subpopulations of cells within biofilms of even in well-studied bacterial systems like B. subtilis remains largely unknown. To determine relationships between these subpopulations of cells, we created 182 strains containing pairwise combinations of fluorescent transcriptional reporters for the expression state of 14 different genes associated with potential cellular subpopulations. We determined the spatial organization of the expression of these genes within biofilms using confocal microscopy, which revealed that many reporters localized to distinct areas of the biofilm, some of which were co-localized. We used flow cytometry to quantify reporter co-expression, which revealed that many cells "multi-task," simultaneously expressing two reporters. These data indicate that prior models describing B. subtilis cells as differentiating into specific cell types, each with a specific task or function, were oversimplified. Only a few subpopulations of cells, including surfactin and plipastatin producers, as well as sporulating and competent cells, appear to have distinct roles based on the set of genes examined here. These data will provide us with a framework with which to further study and make predictions about the roles of diverse cellular phenotypes in B. subtilis biofilms. IMPORTANCE Many microbes differentiate, expressing diverse phenotypes to ensure their survival in various environments. However, studies on phenotypic differentiation have typically examined only a few phenotypes at one time, thus limiting our knowledge about the extent of differentiation and phenotypic overlap in the population. We investigated the spatial organization and gene expression relationships for genes important in B. subtilis biofilms. In doing so, we mapped spatial gene expression patterns and expanded the number of cell populations described in the B. subtilis literature. It is likely that other bacteria also display complex differentiation patterns within their biofilms. Studying the extent of cellular differentiation in other microbes may be important when designing therapies for disease-causing bacteria, where studying only a single phenotype may be masking underlying phenotypic differentiation relevant to infection outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Yannarell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Eric S. Beaudoin
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hunter S. Talley
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexi A. Schoenborn
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Galya Orr
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher R. Anderton
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - William B. Chrisler
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Shank
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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Rosazza T, Eigentler L, Earl C, Davidson FA, Stanley‐Wall NR. Bacillus subtilis extracellular protease production incurs a context-dependent cost. Mol Microbiol 2023; 120:105-121. [PMID: 37380434 PMCID: PMC10952608 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Microbes encounter a wide range of polymeric nutrient sources in various environmental settings, which require processing to facilitate growth. Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium found in the rhizosphere and broader soil environment, is highly adaptable and resilient due to its ability to utilise diverse sources of carbon and nitrogen. Here, we explore the role of extracellular proteases in supporting growth and assess the cost associated with their production. We provide evidence of the essentiality of extracellular proteases when B. subtilis is provided with an abundant, but polymeric nutrient source and demonstrate the extracellular proteases as a shared public good that can operate over a distance. We show that B. subtilis is subjected to a public good dilemma, specifically in the context of growth sustained by the digestion of a polymeric food source. Furthermore, using mathematical simulations, we uncover that this selectively enforced dilemma is driven by the relative cost of producing the public good. Collectively, our findings reveal how bacteria can survive in environments that vary in terms of immediate nutrient accessibility and the consequent impact on the population composition. These findings enhance our fundamental understanding of how bacteria respond to diverse environments, which has importance to contexts ranging from survival in the soil to infection and pathogenesis scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Rosazza
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life ScienceUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
| | - Lukas Eigentler
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life ScienceUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
- Mathematics, School of Science and EngineeringUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
- Present address:
Evolutionary Biology DepartmentUniversität BielefeldKonsequenz 45Bielefeld33615Germany
| | - Chris Earl
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life ScienceUniversity of DundeeDundeeUK
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Catania AM, Di Ciccio P, Ferrocino I, Civera T, Cannizzo FT, Dalmasso A. Evaluation of the biofilm-forming ability and molecular characterization of dairy Bacillus spp. isolates. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1229460. [PMID: 37600945 PMCID: PMC10432688 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1229460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Food processing lines represents a suitable environment for bacterial biofilm formation. One of the most common biofilm-forming genera in dairy processing plants is Bacillus, which includes species that may have a negative impact on safety and/or quality of dairy products. In the current study, we evaluated the biofilm forming ability and molecular characteristics of dairy Bacillus spp. isolates (B. cereus and B. subtilis). Reference strains (B. cereus ATCC 14579 and B. subtilis NCTC 3610) were also included in the experiment. All isolates were screened by micro-titer plate (96 wells) to assess their ability to form biofilm. Then, they were tested on two common food contact surfaces (polystyrene and stainless steel) by using 6-well plates and AISI 316 stainless steel coupons. Biofilm formation, expressed as biofilm production index (BPI), was higher on polystyrene than stainless steel (except for B. cereus ATCC 14579). These observations were further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, which allowed the microscopy observation of biofilm structure. Moreover, a possible correlation among total viable cell counts (CFU) and BPI was examined, as well as a connection among biofilm formation and bacterial cell hydrophobicity. Finally, whole genome sequencing was performed highlighting a genetic similarity among the strains belonging to the same species. The presence of selected genes involved in biofilm formation was also examined showing that strains with a greater presence of these genes were able to produce more biofilm in the tested materials. Additionally, for B. cereus strains enterotoxin genes were detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Maria Catania
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Di Ciccio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy
| | - Ilario Ferrocino
- Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy
| | - Tiziana Civera
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Alessandra Dalmasso
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy
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Angelini LL, Dos Santos RAC, Fox G, Paruthiyil S, Gozzi K, Shemesh M, Chai Y. Pulcherrimin protects Bacillus subtilis against oxidative stress during biofilm development. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:50. [PMID: 37468524 PMCID: PMC10356805 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00418-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Pulcherrimin is an iron-binding reddish pigment produced by various bacterial and yeast species. In the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis, this pigment is synthesized intracellularly as the colorless pulcherriminic acid by using two molecules of tRNA-charged leucine as the substrate; pulcherriminic acid molecules are then secreted and bind to ferric iron extracellularly to form the red-colored pigment pulcherrimin. The biological importance of pulcherrimin is not well understood. A previous study showed that secretion of pulcherrimin caused iron depletion in the surroundings and growth arrest on cells located at the edge of a B. subtilis colony biofilm. In this study, we identified that pulcherrimin is primarily produced under biofilm conditions and provides protection to cells in the biofilm against oxidative stress. We presented molecular evidence on how pulcherrimin lowers the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alleviates oxidative stress and DNA damage caused by ROS accumulation in a mature biofilm. We also performed global transcriptome profiling to identify differentially expressed genes in the pulcherrimin-deficient mutant compared with the wild type, and further characterized the regulation of genes by pulcherrimin that are related to iron homeostasis, DNA damage response (DDR), and oxidative stress response. Based on our findings, we propose pulcherrimin as an important antioxidant that modulates B. subtilis biofilm development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gabriel Fox
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Srinand Paruthiyil
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Kevin Gozzi
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- The Rowland Institute at Harvard, 100 Edwin H. Land Blvd., Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Moshe Shemesh
- Department of Food Science, Agricultural Research Organization The Volcani Institute, Derech Hamacabim, POB 15159, Rishon LeZion, 7528809, Israel
| | - Yunrong Chai
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Bhattacharyya A, Mavrodi O, Bhowmik N, Weller D, Thomashow L, Mavrodi D. Bacterial biofilms as an essential component of rhizosphere plant-microbe interactions. METHODS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2023; 53:3-48. [PMID: 38415193 PMCID: PMC10898258 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mim.2023.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Bhattacharyya
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Olga Mavrodi
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Niladri Bhowmik
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - David Weller
- USDA-ARS Wheat Health, Genetics and Quality Research Unit, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Linda Thomashow
- USDA-ARS Wheat Health, Genetics and Quality Research Unit, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Dmitri Mavrodi
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
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42
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Römling U, Cao LY, Bai FW. Evolution of cyclic di-GMP signalling on a short and long term time scale. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001354. [PMID: 37384391 PMCID: PMC10333796 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Diversifying radiation of domain families within specific lineages of life indicates the importance of their functionality for the organisms. The foundation for the diversifying radiation of the cyclic di-GMP signalling network that occurred within the bacterial kingdom is most likely based in the outmost adaptability, flexibility and plasticity of the system. Integrative sensing of multiple diverse extra- and intracellular signals is made possible by the N-terminal sensory domains of the modular cyclic di-GMP turnover proteins, mutations in the protein scaffolds and subsequent signal reception by diverse receptors, which eventually rewires opposite host-associated as well as environmental life styles including parallel regulated target outputs. Natural, laboratory and microcosm derived microbial variants often with an altered multicellular biofilm behaviour as reading output demonstrated single amino acid substitutions to substantially alter catalytic activity including substrate specificity. Truncations and domain swapping of cyclic di-GMP signalling genes and horizontal gene transfer suggest rewiring of the network. Presence of cyclic di-GMP signalling genes on horizontally transferable elements in particular observed in extreme acidophilic bacteria indicates that cyclic di-GMP signalling and biofilm components are under selective pressure in these types of environments. On a short and long term evolutionary scale, within a species and in families within bacterial orders, respectively, the cyclic di-GMP signalling network can also rapidly disappear. To investigate variability of the cyclic di-GMP signalling system on various levels will give clues about evolutionary forces and discover novel physiological and metabolic pathways affected by this intriguing second messenger signalling system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Römling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lian-Ying Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Feng-Wu Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China
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43
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Hayet S, Ghrayeb M, Azulay DN, Shpilt Z, Tshuva EY, Chai L. Titanium complexes affect Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:983-991. [PMID: 37252093 PMCID: PMC10211322 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00075c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Biofilms are surface or interface-associated communities of bacterial cells, embedded in a self-secreted extracellular matrix (ECM). Cells in biofilms are 100-1000 times more resistant to antibiotic treatment relative to planktonic cells due to various reasons, including the ECM acting as a diffusion barrier to antibiotic molecules, the presence of persister cells that divide slowly and are less susceptible to cell-wall targeting drugs, and the activation of efflux pumps in response to antibiotic stress. In this study we tested the effect of two titanium(iv) complexes that have been previously reported as potent and non-toxic anticancer chemotherapeutic agents on Bacillus subtilis cells in culture and in biofilm forming conditions. The Ti(iv) complexes tested, a hexacoordinate diaminobis(phenolato)-bis(alkoxo) complex (phenolaTi) and a bis(isopropoxo) complex of a diaminobis(phenolato) "salan"-type ligand (salanTi), did not affect the growth rate of cells in shaken cultures, however they did affect biofilm formation. Surprisingly, while phenolaTi inhibited biofilm formation, the presence of salanTi induced the formation of more mechanically robust biofilms. Optical microscopy images of biofilm samples in the absence and presence of Ti(iv) complexes suggest that Ti(iv) complexes affect cell-cell and/or cell-matrix adhesion, and that these are interfered with phenolaTi and enhanced by salanTi. Our results highlight the possible effect of Ti(iv) complexes on bacterial biofilms, which is gaining interest in light of the emerging relations between bacteria and cancerous tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahar Hayet
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus Jerusalem 91904 Israel +972 2 5660425 +972 2 6586084 +972 2 6585303
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Mnar Ghrayeb
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus Jerusalem 91904 Israel +972 2 5660425 +972 2 6586084 +972 2 6585303
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - David N Azulay
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus Jerusalem 91904 Israel +972 2 5660425 +972 2 6586084 +972 2 6585303
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
| | - Zohar Shpilt
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus Jerusalem 91904 Israel +972 2 5660425 +972 2 6586084 +972 2 6585303
| | - Edit Y Tshuva
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus Jerusalem 91904 Israel +972 2 5660425 +972 2 6586084 +972 2 6585303
| | - Liraz Chai
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Edmond J. Safra Campus Jerusalem 91904 Israel +972 2 5660425 +972 2 6586084 +972 2 6585303
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem Israel
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Yu YY, Zhang YY, Wang T, Huang TX, Tang SY, Jin Y, Mi DD, Zheng Y, Niu DD, Guo JH, Jiang CH. Kurstakin Triggers Multicellular Behaviors in Bacillus cereus AR156 and Enhances Disease Control Efficacy Against Rice Sheath Blight. PLANT DISEASE 2023:PDIS01220078RE. [PMID: 36205689 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-01-22-0078-re] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Kurstakin is the latest discovered family of lipopeptides secreted by Bacillus spp. In this study, the effects of kurstakin on the direct antagonism, multicellularity, and disease control ability of Bacillus cereus AR156 were explored. An insertion mutation in the nonribosomal peptide synthase responsible for kurstakin synthesis led to a significant reduction of antagonistic ability of AR156 against the plant-pathogenic fungi Rhizoctonia solani, Ascochyta citrullina, Fusarium graminearum, and F. oxysporum f. sp. cubense. The loss of kurstakin synthesis ability significantly impaired the swarming motility of AR156 and reduced biofilm formation and amyloid protein accumulation. Although the loss of kurstakin synthesis ability did not reduce the competitiveness of AR156 under laboratory conditions, the colonization and environmental adaptability of the mutant was significantly weaker than that of wild-type AR156 on rice leaves. The cell surface of wild-type AR156 colonizing the leaf surface was covered by a thick biofilm matrix under a scanning electron microscope, but not the mutant. The colonization ability on rice roots and control efficacy against rice sheath blight disease of the mutant were also impaired. Thus, kurstakin participates in the control of plant diseases by B. cereus AR156 through directly inhibiting the growth of pathogenic fungi and improving long-term environmental adaptability and colonization of AR156 on the host surface by triggering multicellularity. This study explored the multiple functions of kurstakin in plant disease control by B. cereus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Yang Yu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yi-Yuan Zhang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Tao-Xiang Huang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shu-Ya Tang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yu Jin
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dan-Dan Mi
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ying Zheng
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dong-Dong Niu
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jian-Hua Guo
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chun-Hao Jiang
- Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Disease and Pests, Ministry of Education; Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in East China, Ministry of Agriculture; and Key Laboratory of Plant Immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Engineering Center of Bioresource Pesticide in Jiangsu Province, Nanjing 210095, China
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Arbour CA, Nagar R, Bernstein HM, Ghosh S, Al-Sammarraie Y, Dorfmueller HC, Ferguson MAJ, Stanley-Wall NR, Imperiali B. Defining Early Steps in B. subtilis Biofilm Biosynthesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.22.529487. [PMID: 36865097 PMCID: PMC9980142 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.22.529487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
The Bacillus subtilis extracellular biofilm matrix includes an exopolysaccharide that is critical for the architecture and function of the community. To date, our understanding of the biosynthetic machinery and the molecular composition of the exopolysaccharide of B. subtilis remains unclear and incomplete. This report presents synergistic biochemical and genetic studies built from a foundation of comparative sequence analyses targeted at elucidating the activities of the first two membrane-committed steps in the exopolysaccharide biosynthetic pathway. By taking this approach, we determined the nucleotide sugar donor and lipid-linked acceptor substrates for the first two enzymes in the B. subtilis biofilm exopolysaccharide biosynthetic pathway. EpsL catalyzes the first phosphoglycosyl transferase step using UDP-di- N -acetyl bacillosamine as phospho-sugar donor. EpsD is a GT-B fold glycosyl transferase that facilitates the second step in the pathway that utilizes the product of EpsL as an acceptor substrate and UDP- N -acetyl glucosamine as the sugar donor. Thus, the study defines the first two monosaccharides at the reducing end of the growing exopolysaccharide unit. In doing so we provide the first evidence of the presence of bacillosamine in an exopolysaccharide synthesized by a Gram-positive bacterium. IMPORTANCE Biofilms are the communal way of life that microbes adopt to increase survival. Key to our ability to systematically promote or ablate biofilm formation is a detailed understanding of the biofilm matrix macromolecules. Here we identify the first two essential steps in the Bacillus subtilis biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide synthesis pathway. Together our studies and approaches provide the foundation for the sequential characterization of the steps in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis, using prior steps to enable chemoenzymatic synthesis of the undecaprenol diphosphate-linked glycan substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine A. Arbour
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (USA)
| | - Rupa Nagar
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Hannah M. Bernstein
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (USA)
| | - Soumi Ghosh
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (USA)
| | - Yusra Al-Sammarraie
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Helge C. Dorfmueller
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Michael A. J. Ferguson
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Nicola R. Stanley-Wall
- Division of Molecular Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Barbara Imperiali
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (USA)
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Miao S, Liang J, Xu Y, Yu G, Shao M. Bacillaene, sharp objects consist in the arsenal of antibiotics produced by Bacillus. J Cell Physiol 2023. [PMID: 36790954 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus species act as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) that can produce a large number of bioactive metabolites. Bacillaene, a linear polyketide/nonribosomal peptide produced by Bacillus strains, is synthesized by the trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthetase. The complexity of the chemical structure, particularity of biosynthesis, potent bioactivity, and the important role of competition make Bacillus an ideal antibiotic weapon to resist other microbes and maintain the optimal rhizosphere environment. This review provides an updated view of the structural features, biological activity, biosynthetic regulators of biosynthetic pathways, and the important competitive role of bacillaene during Bacillus survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Miao
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- College of Agriculture and Biology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Jianhao Liang
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- College of Agriculture and Biology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Xu
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering, XinYang College Of Agriculture And Forestry, Xinyang, P.R. China
| | - Guohui Yu
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- College of Agriculture and Biology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Mingwei Shao
- Key Laboratory of Green Prevention and Control on Fruits and Vegetables in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
- Innovative Institute for Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
- College of Agriculture and Biology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, P.R. China
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The Slowdown of Growth Rate Controls the Single-Cell Distribution of Biofilm Matrix Production via an SinI-SinR-SlrR Network. mSystems 2023; 8:e0062222. [PMID: 36786593 PMCID: PMC10134886 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00622-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In Bacillus subtilis, master regulator Spo0A controls several cell-differentiation pathways. Under moderate starvation, phosphorylated Spo0A (Spo0A~P) induces biofilm formation by indirectly activating genes controlling matrix production in a subpopulation of cells via an SinI-SinR-SlrR network. Under severe starvation, Spo0A~P induces sporulation by directly and indirectly regulating sporulation gene expression. However, what determines the heterogeneity of individual cell fates is not fully understood. In particular, it is still unclear why, despite being controlled by a single master regulator, biofilm matrix production and sporulation seem mutually exclusive on a single-cell level. In this work, with mathematical modeling, we showed that the fluctuations in the growth rate and the intrinsic noise amplified by the bistability in the SinI-SinR-SlrR network could explain the single-cell distribution of matrix production. Moreover, we predicted an incoherent feed-forward loop; the decrease in the cellular growth rate first activates matrix production by increasing in Spo0A phosphorylation level but then represses it via changing the relative concentrations of SinR and SlrR. Experimental data provide evidence to support model predictions. In particular, we demonstrate how the degree to which matrix production and sporulation appear mutually exclusive is affected by genetic perturbations. IMPORTANCE The mechanisms of cell-fate decisions are fundamental to our understanding of multicellular organisms and bacterial communities. However, even for the best-studied model systems we still lack a complete picture of how phenotypic heterogeneity of genetically identical cells is controlled. Here, using B. subtilis as a model system, we employ a combination of mathematical modeling and experiments to explain the population-level dynamics and single-cell level heterogeneity of matrix gene expression. The results demonstrate how the two cell fates, biofilm matrix production and sporulation, can appear mutually exclusive without explicitly inhibiting one another. Such a mechanism could be used in a wide range of other biological systems.
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Sato S, Ichiyanagi N, Sugiyama K, Aburai N, Fujii K. Production of polyglutamic acid-like mucilage protein by Peribacillus simplex strain 8h. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2023; 68:101-113. [PMID: 35947243 DOI: 10.1007/s12223-022-01000-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamic acid (PGA), a protein in the mucilage of PGA-producing Bacillus spp., has expected applications in medical and biotechnological industries. Although the Bacillaceae family contains over 100 genera, research on bacterial PGA has exclusively focused on the genus Bacillus, especially B. subtilis var. natto and B. licheniformis. In the present study, indigenous Bacillaceae family strains were isolated from withered leaves and soil samples and screened for PGA production. As a result of the screening, the strain 8h was found to produce a mucilage possessing greater viscosity than PGA of B. subtilis var. natto (natto PGA). Biochemical analyses revealed that the 8h mucilage contains 63% protein and 37% polysaccharide, while mucilage of B. subtilis var. natto is composed of 61% protein and 39% polysaccharide. The most plentiful amino acid in 8h mucilage protein was glutamate (43%, mol/mol), which is similar to that of natto PGA, suggesting that it possesses characteristics of PGA. Although natto mucilage contains fructan, glucan was found as the polysaccharide of 8h mucilage. While phylogenetic studies indicated that the strain 8h belongs to Peribacillus simplex, the yield of the viscous mucilage by strain 8h was significantly higher than P. simplex type strain, suggesting that 8h is a mucilage-overproducing strain of P. simplex. Interestingly, 8h mucilage protein was found to contain more hydrophobic amino acid residues than natto PGA, suggesting that its amphiphilicity is suitable as a drug carrier and adjuvant. The present study is the first report of viscous mucilage and PGA-like protein produced by the genus Peribacillus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzuka Sato
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo, 1920015, Japan
| | - Natsuki Ichiyanagi
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo, 1920015, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Sugiyama
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo, 1920015, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Aburai
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo, 1920015, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Fujii
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo, 1920015, Japan.
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Milton ME, Cavanagh J. The Biofilm Regulatory Network from Bacillus subtilis: A Structure-Function Analysis. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167923. [PMID: 36535428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms are notorious for their ability to protect bacteria from environmental challenges, most importantly the action of antibiotics. Bacillus subtilis is an extensively studied model organism used to understand the process of biofilm formation. A complex network of principal regulatory proteins including Spo0A, AbrB, AbbA, Abh, SinR, SinI, SlrR, and RemA, work in concert to transition B. subtilis from the free-swimming planktonic state to the biofilm state. In this review, we explore, connect, and summarize decades worth of structural and biochemical studies that have elucidated this protein signaling network. Since structure dictates function, unraveling aspects of protein molecular mechanisms will allow us to devise ways to exploit critical features of the biofilm regulatory pathway, such as possible therapeutic intervention. This review pools our current knowledge base of B. subtilis biofilm regulatory proteins and highlights potential therapeutic intervention points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E Milton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, NC 27834, USA.
| | - John Cavanagh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, NC 27834, USA.
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eDNA Provides a Scaffold for Autoaggregation of B. subtilis in Bacterioplankton Suspension. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020332. [PMID: 36838297 PMCID: PMC9966259 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The self-binding of bacterial cells, or autoaggregation, is, together with surface colonization, one of the first steps in the formation of a mature biofilm. In this work, the autoaggregation of B. subtilis in dilute bacterial suspensions was studied. The dynamics of cell lysis, eDNA release, and bacterial autoaggregate assembly were determined and related to the spatial autocorrelation of bacterial cells in dilute planktonic bacterial suspensions. The non-random distribution of cells was associated with an eDNA network, which stabilized the initial bacterial cell-cell aggregates. Upon the addition of DNase I, the aggregates were dispersed. The release of eDNA during cell lysis allows for the entrapment of bacterial drifters at a radius several times the size of the dying bacteria. The size of bacterial aggregates increased from 2 to about 100 μm in diameter in dilute bacterial suspensions. The results suggest that B. subtilis cells form previously unnoticed continuum of autoaggregate structures during planktonic growth.
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