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Chincha AAIA, Marone MP, Pia AKR, Freire L, Amorim-Neto DP, Carazzolle MF, Sant'Ana AS. Phenotypic, genotypic, and resistome of mesophilic spore-forming bacteria isolated from pasteurized liquid whole egg. Food Res Int 2024; 184:114215. [PMID: 38609213 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114215] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The production of whole-liquid eggs is of significant economic and nutritional importance. This study aimed to assess the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of mesophilic aerobic spore-forming bacteria (n = 200) isolated from pasteurized whole liquid egg and liquid egg yolk. The majority of the isolates were identified as belonging to the genera Bacillus (86 %), followed by Brevibacillus (10 %) and Lysinibacillus (4 %). For the phenotypic characterization, isolates were subjected to various heat shocks, with the most significant reductions observed at 80 °C/30 min and 90 °C/10 min for isolates recovered from raw materials. On the other hand, the decrease was similar for isolates recovered from raw material and final product at 100 °C/5 min and 110 °C/5 min. Genotypic genes related to heat resistance (cdnL, spoVAD, dacB, clpC, dnaK, and yitF/Tn1546) were examined for genotypic characterization. The dnaK gene showed a positive correlation with the highest thermal condition tested (110 °C/5 min), while 100 °C/5 min had the highest number of positively correlated genes (clpC, cdnL, yitF/Tn1546, and spoVAD). Whole Genome Sequencing of four strains revealed genes related to sporulation, structure formation, initiation and regulation, stress response, and DNA repair in vegetative cells. The findings of this study indicate that these mesophilic aerobic spore-forming bacteria may adopt several strategies to persist through the process and reach the final product. As the inactivation of these microorganisms during egg processing is challenging, preventing raw materials contamination and their establishment in processing premises must be reinforced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A I A Chincha
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Food Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marina P Marone
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Arthur K R Pia
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Food Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Luisa Freire
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food and Nutrition, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Dionisio P Amorim-Neto
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Food Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo F Carazzolle
- Laboratory of Genomics and BioEnergy, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Center for Computing and Engineering Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Anderson S Sant'Ana
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Food Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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Updegrove TB, Delerue T, Anantharaman V, Cho H, Chan C, Nipper T, Choo-Wosoba H, Jenkins LM, Zhang L, Su Y, Shroff H, Chen J, Bewley CA, Aravind L, Ramamurthi KS. Altruistic feeding and cell-cell signaling during bacterial differentiation actively enhance phenotypic heterogeneity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.27.587046. [PMID: 38903092 PMCID: PMC11188070 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.27.587046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Starvation triggers bacterial spore formation, a committed differentiation program that transforms a vegetative cell into a dormant spore. Cells in a population enter sporulation non-uniformly to secure against the possibility that favorable growth conditions, which puts sporulation-committed cells at a disadvantage, may resume. This heterogeneous behavior is initiated by a passive mechanism: stochastic activation of a master transcriptional regulator. Here, we identify a cell-cell communication pathway that actively promotes phenotypic heterogeneity, wherein Bacillus subtilis cells that start sporulating early utilize a calcineurin-like phosphoesterase to release glycerol, which simultaneously acts as a signaling molecule and a nutrient to delay non-sporulating cells from entering sporulation. This produced a more diverse population that was better poised to exploit a sudden influx of nutrients compared to those generating heterogeneity via stochastic gene expression alone. Although conflict systems are prevalent among microbes, genetically encoded cooperative behavior in unicellular organisms can evidently also boost inclusive fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor B. Updegrove
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Delerue
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vivek Anantharaman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hyomoon Cho
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carissa Chan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Nipper
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hyoyoung Choo-Wosoba
- Biostatistics and Data Management Support Section, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lisa M. Jenkins
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lixia Zhang
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yijun Su
- Laboratory of High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Hari Shroff
- Laboratory of High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Jiji Chen
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carole A. Bewley
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - L. Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kumaran S. Ramamurthi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Conservation and Evolution of the Sporulation Gene Set in Diverse Members of the Firmicutes. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0007922. [PMID: 35638784 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00079-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The current classification of the phylum Firmicutes (new name, Bacillota) features eight distinct classes, six of which include known spore-forming bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis, sporulation involves up to 500 genes, many of which do not have orthologs in other bacilli and/or clostridia. Previous studies identified about 60 sporulation genes of B. subtilis that were shared by all spore-forming members of the Firmicutes. These genes are referred to as the sporulation core or signature, although many of these are also found in genomes of nonsporeformers. Using an expanded set of 180 firmicute genomes from 160 genera, including 76 spore-forming species, we investigated the conservation of the sporulation genes, in particular seeking to identify lineages that lack some of the genes from the conserved sporulation core. The results of this analysis confirmed that many small acid-soluble spore proteins (SASPs), spore coat proteins, and germination proteins, which were previously characterized in bacilli, are missing in spore-forming members of Clostridia and other classes of Firmicutes. A particularly dramatic loss of sporulation genes was observed in the spore-forming members of the families Planococcaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae. Fifteen species from diverse lineages were found to carry skin (sigK-interrupting) elements of different sizes that all encoded SpoIVCA-like recombinases but did not share any other genes. Phylogenetic trees built from concatenated alignments of sporulation proteins and ribosomal proteins showed similar topology, indicating an early origin and subsequent vertical inheritance of the sporulation genes. IMPORTANCE Many members of the phylum Firmicutes (Bacillota) are capable of producing endospores, which enhance the survival of important Gram-positive pathogens that cause such diseases as anthrax, botulism, colitis, gas gangrene, and tetanus. We show that the core set of sporulation genes, defined previously through genome comparisons of several bacilli and clostridia, is conserved in a wide variety of sporeformers from several distinct lineages of Firmicutes. We also detected widespread loss of sporulation genes in many organisms, particularly within the families Planococcaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae. Members of these families, such as Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Clostridium innocuum, could be excellent model organisms for studying sporulation mechanisms, such as engulfment, formation of the spore coat, and spore germination.
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Rasmussen TS, Streidl T, Hitch TCA, Wortmann E, Deptula P, Kofoed MVW, Riedel T, Neumann-Schaal M, Hansen M, Nielsen DS, Clavel T, Vogensen FK. Sporofaciens musculi gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from the caecum of an obese mouse. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2021; 71. [PMID: 33512312 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A bacterial strain, designated WCA-9-b2T, was isolated from the caecal content of an 18-week-old obese C57BL/6NTac male mouse. According to phenotypic analyses, the isolate was rod-shaped, strictly anaerobic, spore-forming, non-motile and Gram-stain-positive, under the conditions tested. Colonies were irregular and non-pigmented. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the isolate belonged to the order Clostridiales with Dorea longicatena ATCC 27755T (94.9 % sequence identity), Ruminococcus gnavus ATCC 29149T (94.8%) and Clostridium scindens ATCC 35704T (94.3%) being the closest relatives. Whole genome sequencing showed an average nucleotide identity <74.23 %, average amino acid identity <64.52-74.67 % and percentage of conserved proteins values <50 % against the nine closest relatives (D. longicatena, Ruminococcus gnavus, C. scindens, Dorea formicigenerans, Ruminococcus lactaris, Clostridium hylemonae, Merdimonas faecis, Faecalicatena contorta and Faecalicatena fissicatena). The genome-based G+C content of genomic DNA was 44.4 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0 (24.5%), C18 : 1 cis9 (19.8 %), C16 : 0 DMA (11.7%), C18 : 0 (8.4%) and C14 : 0 (6.6%). Respiratory quinones were not detected. The predominant metabolic end products of glucose fermentation were acetate and succinate. Production of CO2 and H2 were detected. Based on these data, we propose that strain WCA-9-b2T represents a novel species within a novel genus, for which the name Sporofaciens musculi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WCA-9-b2T (=DSM 106039T=CECT 30156T).
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Sølbeck Rasmussen
- Section of Microbiology and Fermentation, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Theresa Streidl
- Functional Microbiome Research Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas C A Hitch
- Functional Microbiome Research Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Esther Wortmann
- Functional Microbiome Research Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Paulina Deptula
- Section of Microbiology and Fermentation, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Michael V W Kofoed
- Microbial Conversion Technologies Research Group, Section for Biological and Chemical Engineering, Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas Riedel
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meina Neumann-Schaal
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hansen
- Center for Advanced Bioimaging, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Dennis Sandris Nielsen
- Section of Microbiology and Fermentation, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Thomas Clavel
- ZIEL Core Facility Microbiome, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.,Functional Microbiome Research Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Finn Kvist Vogensen
- Section of Microbiology and Fermentation, Department of Food Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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Galperin MY, Mekhedov SL, Puigbo P, Smirnov S, Wolf YI, Rigden DJ. Genomic determinants of sporulation in Bacilli and Clostridia: towards the minimal set of sporulation-specific genes. Environ Microbiol 2012; 14:2870-90. [PMID: 22882546 PMCID: PMC3533761 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2012.02841.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Three classes of low-G+C Gram-positive bacteria (Firmicutes), Bacilli, Clostridia and Negativicutes, include numerous members that are capable of producing heat-resistant endospores. Spore-forming firmicutes include many environmentally important organisms, such as insect pathogens and cellulose-degrading industrial strains, as well as human pathogens responsible for such diseases as anthrax, botulism, gas gangrene and tetanus. In the best-studied model organism Bacillus subtilis, sporulation involves over 500 genes, many of which are conserved among other bacilli and clostridia. This work aimed to define the genomic requirements for sporulation through an analysis of the presence of sporulation genes in various firmicutes, including those with smaller genomes than B. subtilis. Cultivable spore-formers were found to have genomes larger than 2300 kb and encompass over 2150 protein-coding genes of which 60 are orthologues of genes that are apparently essential for sporulation in B. subtilis. Clostridial spore-formers lack, among others, spoIIB, sda, spoVID and safA genes and have non-orthologous displacements of spoIIQ and spoIVFA, suggesting substantial differences between bacilli and clostridia in the engulfment and spore coat formation steps. Many B. subtilis sporulation genes, particularly those encoding small acid-soluble spore proteins and spore coat proteins, were found only in the family Bacillaceae, or even in a subset of Bacillus spp. Phylogenetic profiles of sporulation genes, compiled in this work, confirm the presence of a common sporulation gene core, but also illuminate the diversity of the sporulation processes within various lineages. These profiles should help further experimental studies of uncharacterized widespread sporulation genes, which would ultimately allow delineation of the minimal set(s) of sporulation-specific genes in Bacilli and Clostridia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Y Galperin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA.
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6
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Hofstetter S, Denter C, Winter R, McMullen LM, Gänzle MG. Use of the fluorescent probe LAURDAN to label and measure inner membrane fluidity of endospores of Clostridium spp. J Microbiol Methods 2012; 91:93-100. [PMID: 22884687 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2012.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Revised: 07/17/2012] [Accepted: 07/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A method for measuring the fluidity of inner membranes of populations of endospores of Clostridium spp. with a fluorescent dye was developed. Cells of Clostridium beijerinckii ATCC 8260 and Clostridium sporogenes ATCC 7955 were allowed to sporulate in the presence of 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene (LAURDAN) on a soil-based media. Labeling of endospores with LAURDAN did not affect endospore viability. Removal of the outer membranes of endospores was done using a chemical treatment and confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two-photon confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and generalized polarization (GP) measurements were used to assess fluorescence of endospores. Lipid composition analysis of cells and endospores was done to determine whether differences in GP values are attributable to differences in membrane composition. Removal of the outer membranes of endospores did not significantly impact GP values. Decoated, labeled endospores of C. sporogenes ATCC 7955 and C. beijerinckii ATCC 8260 exhibited GP values of 0.77±0.031 and 0.74±0.027 respectively. Differences in ratios of fatty acids between cells and endospores are unlikely to be responsible for high GP values observed in endospores. These GP values indicate high levels of lipid order and the exclusion of water from within inner membranes of endospores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simmon Hofstetter
- University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2P5.
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7
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The genomic basis for the evolution of a novel form of cellular reproduction in the bacterium Epulopiscium. BMC Genomics 2012; 13:265. [PMID: 22721417 PMCID: PMC3416734 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-13-265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2011] [Accepted: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Epulopiscium sp. type B, a large intestinal bacterial symbiont of the surgeonfish Naso tonganus, does not reproduce by binary fission. Instead, it forms multiple intracellular offspring using a process with morphological features similar to the survival strategy of endospore formation in other Firmicutes. We hypothesize that intracellular offspring formation in Epulopiscium evolved from endospore formation and these two developmental programs share molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the observed morphological similarities. Results To test this, we sequenced the genome of Epulopiscium sp. type B to draft quality. Comparative analysis with the complete genome of its close, endospore-forming relative, Cellulosilyticum lentocellum, identified homologs of well-known sporulation genes characterized in Bacillus subtilis. Of the 147 highly conserved B. subtilis sporulation genes used in this analysis, we found 57 homologs in the Epulopiscium genome and 87 homologs in the C. lentocellum genome. Conclusions Genes coding for components of the central regulatory network which govern the expression of forespore and mother-cell-specific sporulation genes and the machinery used for engulfment appear best conserved. Low conservation of genes expressed late in endospore formation, particularly those that confer resistance properties and encode germinant receptors, suggest that Epulopiscium has lost the ability to form a mature spore. Our findings provide a framework for understanding the evolution of a novel form of cellular reproduction.
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Liu Y, Carlsson Möller M, Petersen L, Söderberg CAG, Hederstedt L. Penicillin-binding protein SpoVD disulphide is a target for StoA in Bacillus subtilis forespores. Mol Microbiol 2009; 75:46-60. [PMID: 19919673 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2009.06964.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial endospore is a dormant and heat-resistant form of life. StoA (SpoIVH) in Bacillus subtilis is a membrane-bound thioredoxin-like protein involved in endospore cortex synthesis. It is proposed to reduce disulphide bonds in hitherto unknown proteins in the intermembrane compartment of developing forespores. Starting with a bioinformatic analysis combined with mutant studies we identified the sporulation-specific, high-molecular-weight, class B penicillin-binding protein SpoVD as a putative target for StoA. We then demonstrate that SpoVD is a membrane-bound protein with two exposed redox-active cysteine residues. Structural modelling of SpoVD, based on the well characterized orthologue PBP2x of Streptococcus pneumoniae, confirmed that a disulphide bond can form close to the active site of the penicillin-binding domain restricting access of enzyme substrate or functional association with other cortex biogenic proteins. Finally, by exploiting combinations of mutations in the spoVD, stoA and ccdA genes in B. subtilis cells, we present strong in vivo evidence that supports the conclusion that StoA functions to specifically break the disulphide bond in the SpoVD protein in the forespore envelope. The findings contribute to our understanding of endospore biogenesis and open a new angle to regulation of cell wall synthesis and penicillin-binding protein activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Liu
- Department of Cell & Organism Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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9
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Mallozzi M, Bozue J, Giorno R, Moody KS, Slack A, Cote C, Qiu D, Wang R, McKenney P, Lai EM, Maddock JR, Friedlander A, Welkos S, Eichenberger P, Driks A. Characterization of a Bacillus anthracis spore coat-surface protein that influences coat-surface morphology. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2008; 289:110-7. [PMID: 19054101 PMCID: PMC9972873 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01380.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial spores are encased in a multilayered proteinaceous shell, called the coat. In many Bacillus spp., the coat protects against environmental assault and facilitates germination. In Bacillus anthracis, the spore is the etiological agent of anthrax, and the functions of the coat likely contribute to virulence. Here, we characterize a B. anthracis spore protein, called Cotbeta, which is encoded only in the genomes of the Bacillus cereus group. We found that Cotbeta is synthesized specifically during sporulation and is assembled onto the spore coat surface. Our analysis of a cotbeta null mutant in the Sterne strain reveals that Cotbeta has a role in determining coat-surface morphology but does not detectably affect germination. In the fully virulent Ames strain, a cotbeta null mutation has no effect on virulence in a murine model of B. anthracis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mallozzi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Joel Bozue
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Giorno
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Krishna-Sulayman Moody
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Alex Slack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
| | - Christopher Cote
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Dengli Qiu
- Department of Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Peter McKenney
- Department of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, NY, USA
| | - Erh-Min Lai
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Janine R. Maddock
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Arthur Friedlander
- Headquarters, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Susan Welkos
- Bacteriology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Patrick Eichenberger
- Department of Biology and Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, NY, USA
| | - Adam Driks
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA
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10
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Streptomyces coelicolor genes ftsL and divIC play a role in cell division but are dispensable for colony formation. J Bacteriol 2007; 189:8982-92. [PMID: 17951394 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01303-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We have characterized homologues of the bacterial cell division genes ftsL and divIC in the gram-positive mycelial bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). We show by deletion-insertion mutations that ftsL and divIC are dispensable for growth and viability in S. coelicolor. When mutant strains were grown on a conventional rich medium (R2YE, containing high sucrose), inactivation of either ftsL or divIC resulted in the formation of aerial hyphae with partially constricted division sites but no clear separation of prespore compartments. Surprisingly, this phenotype was largely suppressed when strains were grown on minimal medium or sucrose-free R2YE, where division sites in many aerial hyphae had finished constricting and chains of spores were evident. Thus, osmolarity appears to affect the severity of the division defect. Furthermore, double mutant strains deleted for both ftsL and divIC are viable and have medium-dependent phenotypes similar to that of the single mutant strains, suggesting that functions performed by FtsL and DivIC are not absolutely required for septation during growth and sporulation. Alternatively, another division protein may partially compensate for the loss of both FtsL and DivIC on minimal medium or sucrose-free R2YE. Finally, based on transmission electron microscopy observations, we propose that FtsL and DivIC are involved in coordinating symmetrical annular ingrowth of the invaginating septum.
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11
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Kobayashi H, Akitomi J, Fujii N, Kobayashi K, Altaf-Ul-Amin M, Kurokawa K, Ogasawara N, Kanaya S. The entire organization of transcription units on the Bacillus subtilis genome. BMC Genomics 2007; 8:197. [PMID: 17598888 PMCID: PMC1925097 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-8-197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2007] [Accepted: 06/28/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In the post-genomic era, comprehension of cellular processes and systems requires global and non-targeted approaches to handle vast amounts of biological information. Results The present study predicts transcription units (TUs) in Bacillus subtilis, based on an integrated approach involving DNA sequence and transcriptome analyses. First, co-expressed gene clusters are predicted by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficients of adjacent genes for all the genes in a series that are transcribed in the same direction with no intervening gene transcribed in the opposite direction. Transcription factor (TF) binding sites are then predicted by detecting statistically significant TF binding sequences on the genome using a position weight matrix. This matrix is a convenient way to identify sites that are more highly conserved than others in the entire genome because any sequence that differs from a consensus sequence has a lower score. We identify genes regulated by each of the TFs by comparing gene expression between wild-type and TF mutants using a one-sided test. By applying the integrated approach to 11 σ factors and 17 TFs of B. subtilis, we are able to identify fewer candidates for genes regulated by the TFs than were identified using any single approach, and also detect the known TUs efficiently. Conclusion This integrated approach is, therefore, an efficient tool for narrowing searches for candidate genes regulated by TFs, identifying TUs, and estimating roles of the σ factors and TFs in cellular processes and functions of genes composing the TUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokazu Kobayashi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Joe Akitomi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Fujii
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Kazuo Kobayashi
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Md Altaf-Ul-Amin
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Ken Kurokawa
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Naotake Ogasawara
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Shigehiko Kanaya
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomes, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
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12
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Kim H, Hahn M, Grabowski P, McPherson DC, Otte MM, Wang R, Ferguson CC, Eichenberger P, Driks A. TheBacillus subtilisspore coat protein interaction network. Mol Microbiol 2005; 59:487-502. [PMID: 16390444 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2005.04968.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial spores are surrounded by a morphologically complex, mechanically flexible protein coat, which protects the spore from toxic molecules. The interactions among the over 50 proteins that make up the coat remain poorly understood. We have used cell biological and protein biochemical approaches to identify novel coat proteins in Bacillus subtilis and describe the network of their interactions, in order to understand coat assembly and the molecular basis of its protective functions and mechanical properties. Our analysis characterizes the interactions between 32 coat proteins. This detailed view reveals a complex interaction network. A key feature of the network is the importance of a small subset of proteins that direct the assembly of most of the coat. From an analysis of the network topology, we propose a model in which low-affinity interactions are abundant in the coat and account, to a significant degree, for the coat's mechanical properties as well as structural variation between spores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosan Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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13
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Silvaggi JM, Popham DL, Driks A, Eichenberger P, Losick R. Unmasking novel sporulation genes in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:8089-95. [PMID: 15547282 PMCID: PMC529092 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.23.8089-8095.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Bacillus subtilis transcription factor sigma(E) directs the expression of a regulon of 262 genes, but null mutations in only a small fraction of these genes severely impair sporulation. We have previously reported that mutations in seven sigma(E)-controlled genes cause a mild (2- to 10-fold) defect in sporulation. In this study, we found that pairwise combinations of some of these seven mutations led to strong synthetic sporulation phenotypes, especially those involving the ytrHI operon and ybaN. Double mutants of ybaN and ytrH and of ybaN and ytrI had >10,000-fold lower sporulation efficiencies than the wild type. Thin-section electron microscopy revealed a block in cortex formation for the ybaN ytrH double mutant and coat defects for the ybaN single and ybaN ytrI double mutants. Sporulating cells of a ybaN ytrI double mutant and of a ybaN ytrHI triple mutant exhibited a pronounced loss of dipicolinic acid (DPA) between hours 8 and 24 of sporulation, in contrast to the constant levels seen for the wild type. An analysis of the spore cortex peptidoglycans of the ybaN ytrI and ybaN ytrHI mutants showed striking decreases in the levels of total muramic acid by hour 24 of sporulation. These data, along with the loss of DPA in the mutants, suggest that the developing spores were unstable and that the cortex underwent degradation late in sporulation. The existence of otherwise hidden sporulation pathways indicates that functional redundancy may mask the role of hitherto unrecognized sporulation genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Silvaggi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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14
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Erlendsson LS, Möller M, Hederstedt L. Bacillus subtilis StoA Is a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase important for spore cortex synthesis. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:6230-8. [PMID: 15342593 PMCID: PMC515141 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.18.6230-6238.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis is an endospore-forming bacterium. There are indications that protein disulfide linkages occur in spores, but the role of thiol-disulfide chemistry in spore synthesis is not understood. Thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases catalyze formation or breakage of disulfide bonds in proteins. CcdA is the only B. subtilis thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase that has previously been shown to play some role in endospore biogenesis. In this work we show that lack of the StoA (YkvV) protein results in spores sensitive to heat, lysozyme, and chloroform. Compared to CcdA deficiency, StoA deficiency results in a 100-fold-stronger negative effect on sporulation efficiency. StoA is a membrane-bound protein with a predicted thioredoxin-like domain probably localized in the intermembrane space of the forespore. Electron microscopy of spores of CcdA- and StoA-deficient strains showed that the spore cortex is absent in both cases. The BdbD protein catalyzes formation of disulfide bonds in proteins on the outer side of the cytoplasmic membrane but is not required for sporulation. Inactivation of bdbD was found to suppress the sporulation defect of a strain deficient in StoA. Our results indicate that StoA is a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase that is involved in breaking disulfide bonds in cortex components or in proteins important for cortex synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyethur S Erlendsson
- Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden
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15
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Driks A. From rings to layers: surprising patterns of protein deposition during bacterial spore assembly. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:4423-6. [PMID: 15231773 PMCID: PMC438608 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.14.4423-4426.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Driks
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
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16
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van Ooij C, Eichenberger P, Losick R. Dynamic patterns of subcellular protein localization during spore coat morphogenesis in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2004; 186:4441-8. [PMID: 15231775 PMCID: PMC438564 DOI: 10.1128/jb.186.14.4441-4448.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Endospores of Bacillus subtilis are encased in a thick, proteinaceous shell known as the coat, which is composed of a large number of different proteins. Here we report the identification of three previously uncharacterized coat-associated proteins, YabP, YheD, and YutH, and their patterns of subcellular localization during the process of sporulation, obtained by using fusions of the proteins to the green fluorescent protein (GFP). YabP-GFP was found to form both a shell and a ring around the center of the forespore across the short axis of the sporangium. YheD-GFP, in contrast, formed two rings around the forespore that were offset from its midpoint, before it eventually redistributed to form a shell around the developing spore. Finally, YutH-GFP initially localized to a focus at one end of the forespore, which then underwent transformation into a ring that was located adjacent to the forespore. Next, the ring became a cap at the mother cell pole of the forespore that eventually spread around the entire developing spore. Thus, each protein exhibited its own distinct pattern of subcellular localization during the course of coat morphogenesis. We concluded that spore coat assembly is a dynamic process involving diverse patterns of protein assembly and localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, The Biological Laboratories, 16 Divinity Ave., Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Kuwana R, Yamamura S, Ikejiri H, Kobayashi K, Ogasawara N, Asai K, Sadaie Y, Takamatsu H, Watabe K. Bacillus subtilis spoVIF (yjcC) gene, involved in coat assembly and spore resistance. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2003; 149:3011-3021. [PMID: 14523132 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.26432-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In systematic screening four sporulation-specific genes, yjcA, yjcB, yjcZ and yjcC, of unknown function were found in Bacillus subtilis. These genes are located just upstream of the cotVWXYZ gene cluster oriented in the opposite direction. Northern blot analysis showed that yjcA was transcribed by the SigE RNA polymerase beginning 2 h (t(2)) after the onset of sporulation, and yjcB, yjcZ and yjcC were transcribed by the SigK RNA polymerase beginning at t(4) of sporulation. The transcription of yjcZ was dependent on SigK and GerE. The consensus sequences of the appropriate sigma factors were found upstream of each gene. There were putative GerE-binding sites upstream of yjcZ. Insertional inactivation of the yjcC gene resulted in a reduction in resistance of the mutant spores to lysozyme and heat. Transmission electron microscopic examination of yjcC spores revealed a defect of sporulation at stage VI, resulting in loss of spore coats. These results suggest that YjcC is involved in assembly of spore coat proteins that have roles in lysozyme resistance. It is proposed that yjcC should be renamed as spoVIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritsuko Kuwana
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Satoko Yamamura
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Hiromi Ikejiri
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Kazuo Kobayashi
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0101, Japan
| | - Naotake Ogasawara
- Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Nara 630-0101, Japan
| | - Kei Asai
- Saitama University, Urawa, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | | | - Hiromu Takamatsu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Watabe
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0101, Japan
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18
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Caldwell R, Sapolsky R, Weyler W, Maile RR, Causey SC, Ferrari E. Correlation between Bacillus subtilis scoC phenotype and gene expression determined using microarrays for transcriptome analysis. J Bacteriol 2001; 183:7329-40. [PMID: 11717292 PMCID: PMC95582 DOI: 10.1128/jb.183.24.7329-7340.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The availability of the complete sequence of the Bacillus subtilis chromosome (F. Kunst et al., Nature 390:249-256, 1997) makes possible the construction of genome-wide DNA arrays and the study of this organism on a global scale. Because we have a long-standing interest in the effects of scoC on late-stage developmental phenomena as they relate to aprE expression, we studied the genome-wide effects of a scoC null mutant with the goal of furthering the understanding of the role of scoC in growth and developmental processes. In the present work we compared the expression patterns of isogenic B. subtilis strains, one of which carries a null mutation in the scoC locus (scoC4). The results obtained indicate that scoC regulates, either directly or indirectly, the expression of at least 560 genes in the B. subtilis genome. ScoC appeared to repress as well as activate gene expression. Changes in expression were observed in genes encoding transport and binding proteins, those involved in amino acid, carbohydrate, and nucleotide and/or nucleoside metabolism, and those associated with motility, sporulation, and adaptation to atypical conditions. Changes in gene expression were also observed for transcriptional regulators, along with sigma factors, regulatory phosphatases and kinases, and members of sensor regulator systems. In this report, we discuss some of the phenotypes associated with the scoC mutant in light of the transcriptome changes observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Caldwell
- Genencor International, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA
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