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de Souza Heidel BL, Benson J, O'Keane S, Dodge AG, Wackett LP, Aksan A. A Model for Mechanical Stress Limited Bacterial Growth and Resporulation in Confinement. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 39088721 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c04354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we propose a self-limiting growth model forBacillus subtilisspores confined within porous polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogels. We observed thatB. subtilisspores germinate into vegetative cells within the hydrogel matrix, forming spherical colonies. These colonies expand until the mechanical stress they exert on their environment surpasses the yield stress of the hydrogel, leading to formation of a nonpermeable layer that halts nutrient diffusion and forces the bacteria to resporulate. These novel observations suggest a model to explain why bacterial growth in confined environments and material interfaces may be limited, providing insight for natural phenomena and biotechnological applications involving bacterial encapsulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz L de Souza Heidel
- Bioencapsulation Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Joey Benson
- Bioencapsulation Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sophie O'Keane
- Bioencapsulation Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Anthony G Dodge
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Lawrence P Wackett
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
- The BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Alptekin Aksan
- Bioencapsulation Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- The BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
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2
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Maksimova Y, Eliseeva A, Maksimov A. Metabolic and Morphological Aspects of Adaptation of Alkaliphilic Bacillus aequororis 5-DB and Alkali-Tolerant Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 to Changes in pH and Mineralization. Int J Microbiol 2024; 2024:3087296. [PMID: 39081933 PMCID: PMC11288695 DOI: 10.1155/2024/3087296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The goal of the study is to evaluate metabolic and morphological changes of the facultative alkaliphile Bacillus aequororis 5-DB and the weakly alkali-resistant B. subtilis ATCC 6633 in a wide pH range and at different NaCl concentrations. The alkaliphile B. aequororis 5-DB is shown to have a broader general resistance to adverse factors (wide pH range, 50 g/L NaCl) than a weakly alkali-tolerant strain of the same genus. This alkaliphile is also shown to have a significantly greater resistance not only to high pH but also to low pH in comparison with B. subtilis ATCC 6633. The resistance of B. aequororis 5-DB to low pH was expressed in higher metabolic activity, maintenance of ΔpH, and no significant cell damage. The selected set of methods (reduction of resazurin to resorufin by cell dehydrogenases, bioluminescent method for determining ATP, AFM, and measurement of intracellular pH) allows us to adequately assess the ability of microbial cells to withstand harsh environmental factors. Nonspecific resistance of B. aequororis 5-DB was proven using a complex of selected methods. Tolerance to a wide range of pH and high salt concentrations may be useful for biotechnological applications of the strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliya Maksimova
- Laboratory of Molecular BiotechnologyInstitute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms Ural Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, Golev Str., 13, Perm 614081, Russia
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyPerm State University, Bukirev Str., 15, Perm 614990, Russia
| | - Ann Eliseeva
- Laboratory of Molecular BiotechnologyInstitute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms Ural Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, Golev Str., 13, Perm 614081, Russia
| | - Aleksandr Maksimov
- Laboratory of Molecular BiotechnologyInstitute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms Ural Branch Russian Academy of Sciences, Golev Str., 13, Perm 614081, Russia
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyPerm State University, Bukirev Str., 15, Perm 614990, Russia
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3
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Muchová K, Pospíšil J, Kalocsaiová E, Chromiková Z, Žarnovičanová S, Šanderová H, Krásný L, Barák I. Spatio-temporal control of asymmetric septum positioning during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107339. [PMID: 38705388 PMCID: PMC11154705 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107339] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
During sporulation, Bacillus subtilis forms an asymmetric septum, dividing the cell into two compartments, a mother cell and a forespore. The site of asymmetric septation is linked to the membrane where FtsZ and SpoIIE initiate the formation of the Z-ring and the E-ring, respectively. These rings then serve as a scaffold for the other cell division and peptidoglycan synthesizing proteins needed to build the septum. However, despite decades of research, not enough is known about how the asymmetric septation site is determined. Here, we identified and characterized the interaction between SpoIIE and RefZ. We show that these two proteins transiently colocalize during the early stages of asymmetric septum formation when RefZ localizes primarily from the mother cell side of the septum. We propose that these proteins and their interplay with the spatial organization of the chromosome play a role in controlling asymmetric septum positioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarína Muchová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jiří Pospíšil
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics and Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Evelína Kalocsaiová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Chromiková
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Silvia Žarnovičanová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Hana Šanderová
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics and Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Krásný
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics and Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Imrich Barák
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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4
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Kasu IR, Reyes-Matte O, Bonive-Boscan A, Derman AI, Lopez-Garrido J. Catabolism of germinant amino acids is required to prevent premature spore germination in Bacillus subtilis. mBio 2024; 15:e0056224. [PMID: 38564667 PMCID: PMC11077977 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00562-24] [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] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Spores of Bacillus subtilis germinate in response to specific germinant molecules that are recognized by receptors in the spore envelope. Germinants signal to the dormant spore that the environment can support vegetative growth, so many germinants, such as alanine and valine, are also essential metabolites. As such, they are also required to build the spore. Here we show that these germinants cause premature germination if they are still present at the latter stages of spore formation and beyond, but that B. subtilis metabolism is configured to prevent this: alanine and valine are catabolized and cleared from wild-type cultures even when alternative carbon and nitrogen sources are present. Alanine and valine accumulate in the spent media of mutants that are unable to catabolize these amino acids, and premature germination is pervasive. Premature germination does not occur if the germinant receptor that responds to alanine and valine is eliminated, or if wild-type strains that are able to catabolize and clear alanine and valine are also present in coculture. Our findings demonstrate that spore-forming bacteria must fine-tune the concentration of any metabolite that can also function as a germinant to a level that is high enough to allow for spore development to proceed, but not so high as to promote premature germination. These results indicate that germinant selection and metabolism are tightly linked, and suggest that germinant receptors evolve in tandem with the catabolic priorities of the spore-forming bacterium. IMPORTANCE Many bacterial species produce dormant cells called endospores, which are not killed by antibiotics or common disinfection practices. Endospores pose critical challenges in the food industry, where endospore contaminations cause food spoilage, and in hospitals, where infections by pathogenic endospore formers threaten the life of millions every year. Endospores lose their resistance properties and can be killed easily when they germinate and exit dormancy. We have discovered that the enzymes that break down the amino acids alanine and valine are critical for the production of stable endospores. If these enzymes are absent, endospores germinate as they are formed or shortly thereafter in response to alanine, which can initiate the germination of many different species' endospores, or to valine. By blocking the activity of alanine dehydrogenase, the enzyme that breaks down alanine and is not present in mammals, it may be possible to inactivate endospores by triggering premature and unproductive germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iqra R. Kasu
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | | | | | - Alan I. Derman
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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5
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Mehdizadeh Gohari I, Gonzales JL, Uzal FA, McClane BA. Overexpressing the cpr1953 Orphan Histidine Kinase Gene in the Absence of cpr1954 Orphan Histidine Kinase Gene Expression, or Vice Versa, Is Sufficient to Obtain Significant Sporulation and Strong Production of Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin or Spo0A by Clostridium perfringens Type F Strain SM101. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:195. [PMID: 38668620 PMCID: PMC11053440 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040195] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The CPR1953 and CPR1954 orphan histidine kinases profoundly affect sporulation initiation and Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) production by C. perfringens type F strain SM101, whether cultured in vitro (modified Duncan-Strong sporulation medium (MDS)) or ex vivo (mouse small intestinal contents (MIC)). To help distinguish whether CPR1953 and CPR1954 act independently or in a stepwise manner to initiate sporulation and CPE production, cpr1953 and cpr1954 null mutants of SM101 were transformed with plasmids carrying the cpr1954 or cpr1953 genes, respectively, causing overexpression of cpr1954 in the absence of cpr1953 expression and vice versa. RT-PCR confirmed that, compared to SM101, the cpr1953 mutant transformed with a plasmid encoding cpr1954 expressed cpr1954 at higher levels while the cpr1954 mutant transformed with a plasmid encoding cpr1953 expressed higher levels of cpr1953. Both overexpressing strains showed near wild-type levels of sporulation, CPE toxin production, and Spo0A production in MDS or MIC. These findings suggest that CPR1953 and CPR1954 do not function together in a step-wise manner, e.g., as a novel phosphorelay. Instead, it appears that, at natural expression levels, the independent kinase activities of both CPR1953 and CPR1954 are necessary for obtaining sufficient Spo0A production and phosphorylation to initiate sporulation and CPE production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Mehdizadeh Gohari
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
| | - Jessica L. Gonzales
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA; (J.L.G.); (F.A.U.)
| | - Francisco A. Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA; (J.L.G.); (F.A.U.)
| | - Bruce A. McClane
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA;
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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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7
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Chareyre S, Li X, Anjuwon-Foster BR, Updegrove TB, Clifford S, Brogan AP, Su Y, Zhang L, Chen J, Shroff H, Ramamurthi KS. Cell division machinery drives cell-specific gene activation during differentiation in Bacillus subtilis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400584121. [PMID: 38502707 PMCID: PMC10990147 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400584121] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
When faced with starvation, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis transforms itself into a dormant cell type called a "spore". Sporulation initiates with an asymmetric division event, which requires the relocation of the core divisome components FtsA and FtsZ, after which the sigma factor σF is exclusively activated in the smaller daughter cell. Compartment-specific activation of σF requires the SpoIIE phosphatase, which displays a biased localization on one side of the asymmetric division septum and associates with the structural protein DivIVA, but the mechanism by which this preferential localization is achieved is unclear. Here, we isolated a variant of DivIVA that indiscriminately activates σF in both daughter cells due to promiscuous localization of SpoIIE, which was corrected by overproduction of FtsA and FtsZ. We propose that the core components of the redeployed cell division machinery drive the asymmetric localization of DivIVA and SpoIIE to trigger the initiation of the sporulation program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Chareyre
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Xuesong Li
- Laboratory of High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
- HHMI, Ashburn, VA20147
| | | | - Taylor B. Updegrove
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Sarah Clifford
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Anna P. Brogan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Yijun Su
- Laboratory of High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
- HHMI, Ashburn, VA20147
| | - Lixia Zhang
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Jiji Chen
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Hari Shroff
- Laboratory of High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
- HHMI, Ashburn, VA20147
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8
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Bauda E, Gallet B, Moravcova J, Effantin G, Chan H, Novacek J, Jouneau PH, Rodrigues CDA, Schoehn G, Moriscot C, Morlot C. Ultrastructure of macromolecular assemblies contributing to bacterial spore resistance revealed by in situ cryo-electron tomography. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1376. [PMID: 38355696 PMCID: PMC10867305 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45770-6] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial spores owe their incredible resistance capacities to molecular structures that protect the cell content from external aggressions. Among the determinants of resistance are the quaternary structure of the chromosome and an extracellular shell made of proteinaceous layers (the coat), the assembly of which remains poorly understood. Here, in situ cryo-electron tomography on lamellae generated by cryo-focused ion beam micromachining provides insights into the ultrastructural organization of Bacillus subtilis sporangia. The reconstructed tomograms reveal that early during sporulation, the chromosome in the forespore adopts a toroidal structure harboring 5.5-nm thick fibers. At the same stage, coat proteins at the surface of the forespore form a stack of amorphous or structured layers with distinct electron density, dimensions and organization. By analyzing mutant strains using cryo-electron tomography and transmission electron microscopy on resin sections, we distinguish seven nascent coat regions with different molecular properties, and propose a model for the contribution of coat morphogenetic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elda Bauda
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Benoit Gallet
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Jana Moravcova
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Helena Chan
- University of Technology Sydney, 2007, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Jiri Novacek
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, 62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Guy Schoehn
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Cecile Morlot
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
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9
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Zang Z, Zhang C, Park KJ, Schwartz DA, Podicheti R, Lennon JT, Gerdt JP. Bacterium secretes chemical inhibitor that sensitizes competitor to bacteriophage infection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.31.578241. [PMID: 38352521 PMCID: PMC10862869 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.31.578241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
To overtake competitors, microbes produce and secrete secondary metabolites that kill neighboring cells and sequester nutrients. This natural product-mediated competition likely evolved in complex microbial communities that included viral pathogens. From this ecological context, we hypothesized that microbes secrete metabolites that "weaponize" natural pathogens (i.e., bacteriophages) to lyse their competitors. Indeed, we discovered a bacterial secondary metabolite that sensitizes other bacteria to phage infection. We found that this metabolite provides the producer (a Streptomyces sp.) with a fitness advantage over its competitor (Bacillus subtilis) by promoting phage infection. The phage-promoting metabolite, coelichelin, sensitized B. subtilis to a wide panel of lytic phages, and it did so by preventing the early stages of sporulation through iron sequestration. Beyond coelichelin, other natural products may provide phage-mediated competitive advantages to their producers-either by inhibiting sporulation or through yet-unknown mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyu Zang
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Chengqian Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kyoung Jin Park
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | | | - Ram Podicheti
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Jay T. Lennon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Joseph P. Gerdt
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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10
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Chen J, Wang Y, Lin S, Yu Q, Qi Z, Jiang W, Zhao Q, Fu QB. Interaction between membrane curvature sensitive factors SpoVM and SpoIVA in Bicelle condition. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 694:149395. [PMID: 38141557 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149395] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
SpoVM and SpoIVA are essential proteins for coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis. SpoVM is a membrane curvature sensor, specifically localized on the forespore membrane. SpoIVA is an ATP hydrolase that self-assembles by hydrolyzing ATP. In this work, SpoVM and its mutant SpoVMP9A were obtained by cyanogen bromide cleavage and reconstituted into bicelles. The purification of SpoIVA was achieved through a rigorous process involving Ni-NTA chromatography column and size exclusion chromatography. This study utilized Biacore to obtain a direct determination of the kinetic parameters of interaction between SpoVM (SpoVMP9A) and SpoIVA in Bicelle conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Shuru Lin
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Quanxiang Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Zhengfei Qi
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Wenqi Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China.
| | - Qingshan Bill Fu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China; Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, China.
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11
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Ning Z, Dong W, Bian Z, Huang H, Hong K. Insight into effects of terbium on cell growth, sporulation and spore properties of Bacillus subtilis. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:79. [PMID: 38281285 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03904-4] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from wastewater with Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) during culture is promising due to its environmental benefits. However, the effects of REEs in the culture media on B. subtilis are poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the effects of the terbium (Tb(III)), a typical rare earth element, on the cell growth, sporulation, and spore properties of B. subtilis. Tb(III) can suppress bacterial growth while enhancing spore tolerance to wet heat. Spore germination and content of dipicolinic acid (DPA) were promoted at low concentrations of Tb(III) while inhibited at a high level, but an inverse effect on initial sporulation appeared. Scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer detection indicated that Tb(III) complexed cells or spores and certain media components simultaneously. The germination results of the spores after elution revealed that Tb(III) attached to the spore surface was a key effector of spore germination. In conclusion, Tb(III) directly or indirectly regulated both the nutrient status of the media and certain metabolic events, which in turn affected most of the properties of B. subtilis. Compared to the coat-deficient strain, the wild-type strain grew faster and was more tolerant to Tb(III), DPA, and wet heat, which in turn implied that it was more suitable for the recovery of REEs during cultivation. These findings provide fundamental insights for the recovery of rare earths during the culture process using microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhoushen Ning
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Wei Dong
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- Yichun Lithium New Energy Industry Research Institute, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Yichun, 336023, China.
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China.
| | - Zijun Bian
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control in Mining and Metallurgy, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Huihong Huang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China
| | - Kemin Hong
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, 341000, China
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12
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Updegrove TB, D'Atri D, Ramamurthi KS. Assembling the Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat Basement Layer on Spherical Supported Lipid Bilayers. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2727:215-225. [PMID: 37815720 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3491-2_17] [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] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Micro- and nanoparticles are often designed by mimicking naturally occurring structures. Bacterial spores are dormant cells elaborated by some Gram-positive bacteria during poor growth conditions to protect their genetic material from harsh environmental stresses. In Bacillus subtilis, this protection is, in part, conferred by a proteinaceous shell, the "coat", which is composed of ~80 different proteins. The basement layer of the coat contains two unusual proteins, which we have recently reconstituted around silica beads to generate synthetic spore-like particles termed "SSHELs". Here, we describe the protocol for generating SSHEL particles, and describe the procedure to covalently link molecules of interest (in this case an anti-HER2 affibody) to SSHEL surfaces. SSHELs therefore represent a versatile platform for the display of ligands or antigens for the site-specific delivery of cargo or vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor B Updegrove
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Domenico D'Atri
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, 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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13
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Field CJ, Bowerman KL, Hugenholtz P. Multiple independent losses of sporulation and peptidoglycan in the Mycoplasmatales and related orders of the class Bacilli. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001176. [PMID: 38189216 PMCID: PMC10868615 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001176] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Many peptidoglycan-deficient bacteria such as the Mycoplasmatales are known host-associated lineages, lacking the environmental resistance mechanisms and metabolic capabilities necessary for a free-living lifestyle. Several peptidoglycan-deficient and non-sporulating orders of interest are thought to be descended from Gram-positive sporulating Bacilli through reductive evolution. Here we annotate 2650 genomes belonging to the class Bacilli, according to the Genome Taxonomy Database, to predict the peptidoglycan and sporulation phenotypes of three novel orders, RFN20, RF39 and ML615J-28, known only through environmental sequence surveys. These lineages are interspersed between peptidoglycan-deficient non-sporulating orders including the Mycoplasmatales and Acholeplasmatales, and more typical Gram-positive orders such as the Erysipelotrichales and Staphylococcales. We use the extant genotypes to perform ancestral state reconstructions. The novel orders are predicted to have small genomes with minimal metabolic capabilities and to comprise a mix of peptidoglycan-deficient and/or non-sporulating species. In contrast to expectations based on cultured representatives, the order Erysipelotrichales lacks many of the genes involved in peptidoglycan and endospore formation. The reconstructed evolutionary history of these traits suggests multiple independent whole-genome reductions and loss of phenotype via intermediate transition states that continue into the present. We suggest that the evolutionary history of the reduced-genome lineages within the class Bacilli is one driven by multiple independent transitions to host-associated lifestyles, with the degree of reduction in environmental resistance and metabolic capabilities correlated with degree of host association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J. Field
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kate L. Bowerman
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Philip Hugenholtz
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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14
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Douillard FP, Portinha IM, Derman Y, Woudstra C, Mäklin T, Dorner MB, Korkeala H, Henriques AO, Lindström M. A Novel Prophage-like Insertion Element within yabG Triggers Early Entry into Sporulation in Clostridium botulinum. Viruses 2023; 15:2431. [PMID: 38140671 PMCID: PMC10747680 DOI: 10.3390/v15122431] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sporulation is a finely regulated morphogenetic program important in the ecology and epidemiology of Clostridium botulinum. Exogenous elements disrupting sporulation-associated genes contribute to sporulation regulation and introduce diversity in the generally conserved sporulation programs of endospore formers. We identified a novel prophage-like DNA segment, termed the yin element, inserted within yabG, encoding a sporulation-specific cysteine protease, in an environmental isolate of C. botulinum. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the genetic structure of the yin element resembles previously reported mobile intervening elements associated with sporulation genes. Within a pure C. botulinum culture, we observed two subpopulations of cells with the yin element either integrated into the yabG locus or excised as a circular DNA molecule. The dynamics between the two observed conformations of the yin element was growth-phase dependent and likely mediated by recombination events. The yin element was not required for sporulation by C. botulinum but triggered an earlier entry into sporulation than in a related isolate lacking this element. So far, the yin element has not been found in any other C. botulinum strains or other endospore-forming species. It remains to be demonstrated what kind of competitive edge it provides for C. botulinum survival and persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- François P. Douillard
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00350 Helsinki, Finland; (F.P.D.); (I.M.P.); (Y.D.); (C.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Inês Martins Portinha
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00350 Helsinki, Finland; (F.P.D.); (I.M.P.); (Y.D.); (C.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Yağmur Derman
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00350 Helsinki, Finland; (F.P.D.); (I.M.P.); (Y.D.); (C.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Cédric Woudstra
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00350 Helsinki, Finland; (F.P.D.); (I.M.P.); (Y.D.); (C.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Tommi Mäklin
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00560 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Martin B. Dorner
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, ZBS3—Biological Toxins, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Hannu Korkeala
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00350 Helsinki, Finland; (F.P.D.); (I.M.P.); (Y.D.); (C.W.); (H.K.)
| | - Adriano O. Henriques
- Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal;
| | - Miia Lindström
- Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00350 Helsinki, Finland; (F.P.D.); (I.M.P.); (Y.D.); (C.W.); (H.K.)
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15
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Gummelt C, Dupke S, Howaldt S, Zimmermann F, Scholz HC, Laue M, Klee SR. Analysis of Sporulation in Bacillus cereus Biovar anthracis Which Contains an Insertion in the Gene for the Sporulation Factor σ K. Pathogens 2023; 12:1442. [PMID: 38133325 PMCID: PMC10745906 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12121442] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis (Bcbva) is an untypical pathogen causing a fatal anthrax-like disease in a variety of wildlife species in African rainforest areas. In contrast to Bacillus anthracis and most species of the B. cereus group, all strains of the Bcbva cluster contain a 22 kb insertion in the sigK gene which encodes the essential late sporulation sigma factor σK. This insertion is excised during sporulation in a site-specific recombination process resulting in an intact sigK gene and a circular molecule. The sporulation kinetics of two strains each of Bcbva and B. anthracis were compared by the expression analysis of eight sporulation-associated genes, including sigK, using reverse transcriptase quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, morphological sporulation stages were analyzed and quantified by electron microscopy. Our results indicated that the necessary excision of the insertion in Bcbva neither delayed nor inhibited its sporulation. In two spontaneous mutants of Bcbva, the excision of the sigK insertion and sporulation were impeded due to mutations in the spo0A and spoVG regulator genes, respectively. The spo0A frameshift mutation was overcome by intragenic suppression in a revertant which was able to sporulate normally, despite an M171S amino acid exchange in the global regulator Spo0A. A screening of the NCBI database identified further strains of the B. cereus group which possess unrelated insertions in the sigK gene, and two strains containing almost identical insertions at the same gene position. Some of the sigK insertions encode putative prophages, whereas the Bcbva insertion encoded a type I restriction-modification system. The function of these insertions and if they are possibly essential for sporulation remains to be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanze Gummelt
- Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (C.G.); (S.D.); (S.H.); (H.C.S.)
| | - Susann Dupke
- Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (C.G.); (S.D.); (S.H.); (H.C.S.)
| | - Sabine Howaldt
- Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (C.G.); (S.D.); (S.H.); (H.C.S.)
| | - Fee Zimmermann
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (P3), Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Holger C. Scholz
- Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (C.G.); (S.D.); (S.H.); (H.C.S.)
| | - Michael Laue
- Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy (ZBS 4), Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Silke R. Klee
- Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (C.G.); (S.D.); (S.H.); (H.C.S.)
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16
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Rawson AM, Dempster AW, Humphreys CM, Minton NP. Pathogenicity and virulence of Clostridium botulinum. Virulence 2023; 14:2205251. [PMID: 37157163 PMCID: PMC10171130 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2205251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium botulinum, a polyphyletic Gram-positive taxon of bacteria, is classified purely by their ability to produce botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). BoNT is the primary virulence factor and the causative agent of botulism. A potentially fatal disease, botulism is classically characterized by a symmetrical descending flaccid paralysis, which is left untreated can lead to respiratory failure and death. Botulism cases are classified into three main forms dependent on the nature of intoxication; foodborne, wound and infant. The BoNT, regarded as the most potent biological substance known, is a zinc metalloprotease that specifically cleaves SNARE proteins at neuromuscular junctions, preventing exocytosis of neurotransmitters, leading to muscle paralysis. The BoNT is now used to treat numerous medical conditions caused by overactive or spastic muscles and is extensively used in the cosmetic industry due to its high specificity and the exceedingly small doses needed to exert long-lasting pharmacological effects. Additionally, the ability to form endospores is critical to the pathogenicity of the bacteria. Disease transmission is often facilitated via the metabolically dormant spores that are highly resistant to environment stresses, allowing persistence in the environment in unfavourable conditions. Infant and wound botulism infections are initiated upon germination of the spores into neurotoxin producing vegetative cells, whereas foodborne botulism is attributed to ingestion of preformed BoNT. C. botulinum is a saprophytic bacterium, thought to have evolved its potent neurotoxin to establish a source of nutrients by killing its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Rawson
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The Biodiscovery Institute, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Andrew W Dempster
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The Biodiscovery Institute, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Christopher M Humphreys
- Clostridia Research Group, BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, The Biodiscovery Institute, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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17
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do Carmo Alves AP, do Carmo Alves A, Ferreira Rodrigues RA, da Silva Cerozi B, Possebon Cyrino JE. Microencapsulation of Bacillus subtilis and oat β-glucan and their application as a synbiotic in fish feed. J Microencapsul 2023; 40:491-501. [PMID: 37254699 DOI: 10.1080/02652048.2023.2220394] [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: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
To improve survival during storage and exposure to adverse conditions, Bacillus subtilis was microencapsulated with oat β-glucan by spray-drying technology. The characterisation of the microcapsules was designed to compare free and microencapsulated cells through exposure to simulated gastric fluids (SGF) throughout storage for 90 days at different temperatures. The characterisation included analysis of efficiency, morphology, moisture, water activity, hygroscopicity, particle size, and zeta potential. The microcapsules presented a particle size of 1.5 ± 0.34 μm and an encapsulation efficiency of 77.9 ± 3.06%. After SGF, the survival of microencapsulated cells was 8.4 ± 0.07 log CFU mL-1 while that of free cells was 7.6 ± 0.06 log CFU mL-1. After 90 days of storage, only microencapsulated cells remained above 6 log-unit of viability. In conclusion, spray-drying technique combined with the addition of oat β-glucan proved to be an efficient method to protect B. subtilis under storage and SGF with potential application in fish feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Priscila do Carmo Alves
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz [ESALQ], Universidade de São Paulo [USP], Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Amanda do Carmo Alves
- Departamento de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Lavras [UFLA], Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Rodney Alexandre Ferreira Rodrigues
- Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas [CPQBA], Universidade Estadual de Campinas [UNICAMP], Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Brunno da Silva Cerozi
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz [ESALQ], Universidade de São Paulo [USP], Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Eurico Possebon Cyrino
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz [ESALQ], Universidade de São Paulo [USP], Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
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18
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Machado MD, Soares EV. Palmelloid-like phenotype in the alga Raphidocelis subcapitata exposed to pollutants: A generalized adaptive strategy to stress or a specific cellular response? AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 264:106732. [PMID: 37879199 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106732] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
This work focuses on the formation of palmelloid-like phenotype in the freshwater alga Raphidocelis subcapitata (formerly known as Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Selenastrum capricornutum), when exposed to adverse conditions generated by the presence of organic [the antibiotic erythromycin (ERY) and the herbicide metolachlor (MET)] or inorganic [the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn)] pollutants, at environmentally relevant concentrations. This alga in absence of stress or when exposed to ERY or Zn, up to 200 µg/L, essentially showed a single-nucleus state, although algal growth was reduced or stopped. R. subcapitata "switched" to a multinucleated state (palmelloid-like morphology) and accumulated energy-reserve compounds (neutral lipids) when stressed by 100-200 µg/L MET or 200 µg/L Cd; at these concentrations of pollutants, growth was arrested, however, the majority of the algal population (≥83 %) was alive. The formation of palmelloid-like phenotype, at sub-lethal concentrations of pollutants, was dependent on the pollutant, its concentration and exposure time. The multinucleated structure is a transitory phenotype since R. subcapitata population was able to revert to a single-nucleus state, with normal cell size, within 24-96 h (depending on the impact of the toxic in the alga), after being transferred to fresh OECD medium, without pollutants. The obtained results indicate that the formation of a palmelloid-like phenotype in R. subcapitata is dependent on the mode of action of toxics and their concentration, not constituting a generalized defense mechanism against stress. The observations here shown contribute to understanding the different strategies used by the unicellular alga R. subcapitata to cope with severe stress imposed by organic and inorganic pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela D Machado
- Bioengineering Laboratory - CIETI, ISEP, Polytechnic of Porto, rua Dr António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015, Porto, Portugal; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Eduardo V Soares
- Bioengineering Laboratory - CIETI, ISEP, Polytechnic of Porto, rua Dr António Bernardino de Almeida, 431, 4249-015, Porto, Portugal; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; LABBELS - Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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19
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Biermann R, Beutel S. Endospore production of Bacillus spp. for industrial use. Eng Life Sci 2023; 23:e2300013. [PMID: 37970521 PMCID: PMC10630785 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202300013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased occurrence of antibiotic resistance and the harmful use of pesticides are a major problem of modern times. A ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal breeding has put a focus on the probiotics market. Probiotic food supplements are versatile and show promising results in animal and human nutrition. Chemical pesticides can be substituted by biopesticides, which are very effective against various pests in plants due to increased research. What these fields have in common is the use of spore-forming bacteria. The endospore-forming Bacillus spp. belonging to this group offer an effective solution to the aforementioned problems. Therefore, the biotechnological production of sufficient qualities of such endospores has become an innovative and financially viable field of research. In this review, the production of different Bacillus spp. endospores will be reviewed. For this purpose, the media compositions, cultivation conditions and bioprocess optimization methods of the last 20 years are presented and reflected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riekje Biermann
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Sascha Beutel
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
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20
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Hu G, Wang Y, Liu X, Strube ML, Wang B, Kovács ÁT. Species and condition shape the mutational spectrum in experimentally evolved biofilms. mSystems 2023; 8:e0054823. [PMID: 37768063 PMCID: PMC10654089 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00548-23] [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: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Biofilm formation is a vital factor for the survival and adaptation of bacteria in diverse environmental niches. Experimental evolution combined with the advancement of whole-population genome sequencing provides us a powerful tool to understand the genomic dynamic of evolutionary adaptation to different environments, such as during biofilm development. Previous studies described the genetic and phenotypic changes of selected clones from experimentally evolved Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus subtilis that were adapted under abiotic and biotic biofilm conditions. However, the full understanding of the dynamic evolutionary landscapes was lacking. Furthermore, the differences and similarities of adaptive mechanisms in B. thuringiensis and B. subtilis were not identified. To overcome these limitations, we performed longitudinal whole-population genome sequencing to study the underlying genetic dynamics at high resolution. Our study provides the first comprehensive mutational landscape of two bacterial species' biofilms that is adapted to an abiotic and biotic surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohai Hu
- China National GeneBank, BGI, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen, China
- Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Yue Wang
- China National GeneBank, BGI, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Research, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Liu
- China National GeneBank, BGI, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Research, Beijing, China
| | - Mikael Lenz Strube
- Bacterial Ecophysiology and Biotechnology Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Bo Wang
- China National GeneBank, BGI, Shenzhen, China
- BGI Research, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbial Genomics and Application, BGI Research, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ákos T. Kovács
- Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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21
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Camp AH, Ellermeier CD. From regulation to ruin: a rogue sigma factor causes cell death in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0020323. [PMID: 37795990 PMCID: PMC10601719 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00203-23] [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] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A rogue, plasmid-encoded sigma factor that kills Bacillus subtilis is the focus of a new study by A. T. Burton, D. Pospíšilová, P. Sudzinová, E. V. Snider, A. M. Burrage, L. Krásný, and D. B. Kearns (J Bacteriol 205:e00112-23, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00112-23). The authors demonstrate that SigN is toxic in its own right, causing cell death by potently outcompeting the housekeeping sigma factor for access to RNA polymerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy H. Camp
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Craig D. Ellermeier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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22
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Delerue T, Chareyre S, Anantharaman V, Gilmore MC, Popham DL, Cava F, Aravind L, Ramamurthi KS. Bacterial cell surface nanoenvironment requires a specialized chaperone to activate a peptidoglycan biosynthetic enzyme. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.06.561273. [PMID: 37986874 PMCID: PMC10659427 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.06.561273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis spores are produced inside the cytosol of a mother cell. Spore surface assembly requires the SpoVK protein in the mother cell, but its function is unknown. Here, we report that SpoVK is a dedicated chaperone from a distinct higher-order clade of AAA+ ATPases that activates the peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase MurG during sporulation, even though MurG does not normally require activation by a chaperone during vegetative growth. MurG redeploys to the spore surface during sporulation, where we show that the local pH is reduced and propose that this change in cytosolic nanoenvironment necessitates a specific chaperone for proper MurG function. Further, we show that SpoVK participates in a developmental checkpoint in which improper spore surface assembly inactivates SpoVK, which leads to sporulation arrest. The AAA+ ATPase clade containing SpoVK includes other dedicated chaperones involved in secretion, cell-envelope biosynthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting that such fine-tuning might be a widespread feature of different subcellular nanoenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Delerue
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Sylvia Chareyre
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Vivek Anantharaman
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C. Gilmore
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR), Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - David L. Popham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Felipe Cava
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå Center for Microbial Research (UCMR), Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - L. Aravind
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kumaran S. Ramamurthi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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23
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Biermann R, Rösner L, Beyer L, Niemeyer L, Beutel S. Bioprocess development for endospore production by Bacillus coagulans using an optimized chemically defined medium. Eng Life Sci 2023; 23:e2300210. [PMID: 37795343 PMCID: PMC10545977 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202300210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus coagulans is a promising probiotic, because it combines probiotic properties of Lactobacillus and the ability of Bacillus to form endospores. Due to this hybrid relationship, cultivation of this organism is challenging. As the probiotics market continues to grow, there is a new focus on the production of these microorganisms. In this work, a strain-specific bioprocess for B. coagulans was developed to support growth on one hand and ensure sporulation on the other hand. This circumstance is not trivial, since these two metabolic states are contrary. The developed bioprocess uses a modified chemically defined medium which was further investigated in a one-factor-at-a-time assay after adaptation. A transfer from the shake flask to the bioreactor was successfully demonstrated in the scope of this work. The investigated process parameters included temperature, agitation and pH-control. Especially the pH-control improved the sporulation in the bioreactor when compared to shake flasks. The bioprocess resulted in a sporulation efficiency of 80%-90%. This corresponds to a sevenfold increase in sporulation efficiency due to a transfer to the bioreactor with pH-control. Additionally, a design of experiment (DoE) was conducted to test the robustness of the bioprocess. This experiment validated the beforementioned sporulation efficiency for the developed bioprocess. Afterwards the bioprocess was then scaled up from a 1 L scale to a 10 L bioreactor scale. A comparable sporulation efficiency of 80% as in the small scale was achieved. The developed bioprocess facilitates the upscaling and application to an industrial scale, and can thus help meet the increasing market for probiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riekje Biermann
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Laura Rösner
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Lisa‐Marie Beyer
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Laura Niemeyer
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Sascha Beutel
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
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24
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Chareyre S, Li X, Anjuwon-Foster BR, Clifford S, Brogan A, Su Y, Shroff H, Ramamurthi KS. Cell division machinery drives cell-specific gene activation during bacterial differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.10.552768. [PMID: 37790399 PMCID: PMC10542145 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.10.552768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
When faced with starvation, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis transforms itself into a dormant cell type called a "spore". Sporulation initiates with an asymmetric division event, which requires the relocation of the core divisome components FtsA and FtsZ, after which the sigma factor σF is exclusively activated in the smaller daughter cell. Compartment specific activation of σF requires the SpoIIE phosphatase, which displays a biased localization on one side of the asymmetric division septum and associates with the structural protein DivIVA, but the mechanism by which this preferential localization is achieved is unclear. Here, we isolated a variant of DivIVA that indiscriminately activates σF in both daughter cells due to promiscuous localization of SpoIIE, which was corrected by overproduction of FtsA and FtsZ. We propose that a unique feature of the sporulation septum, defined by the cell division machinery, drives the asymmetric localization of DivIVA and SpoIIE to trigger the initiation of the sporulation program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Chareyre
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xuesong Li
- Laboratory of High Resolution Optical Imaging, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Brandon R Anjuwon-Foster
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Clifford
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna Brogan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, 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 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 Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Ashburn, VA, USA
| | - Kumaran S Ramamurthi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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25
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Zhang Q, Lyu S. 2-Keto-L-gulonic acid inhibits the growth of Bacillus pumilus and Ketogulonicigenium vulgare. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 39:257. [PMID: 37474882 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-023-03700-6] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The typical vitamin C mixed-fermentation process's second stage involves bioconversion of L-sorbose to 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (2-KLG), using a consortium comprising Ketogulonicigenium vulgare and Bacillus spp. (as helper strain). The concentration of the helper strain in the co-fermentation system was closely correlated with K. vulgare cell growth and 2-KLG accumulation. To understand the tolerance and response of the helper strain and K. vulgare to 2-KLG, 2-KLG was added to the single-strain system of Bacillus pumilus and K. vulgare and the basic physiological and biochemical properties were determined. In this study, the addition of 1 mg/mL 2-KLG reduced the number of viable and spore cells, lowered the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), enhanced the intra- and extracellular total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and significantly affected the B. pumilus sporulation-related genes expression levels. Furthermore, the addition of 1 mg/mL 2-KLG increased the intracellular ROS levels, decreased the intra- and extracellular T-AOC, and downregulated the antioxidant enzyme-related genes and 2-KLG production enzyme-related genes of K. vulgare. These results suggested that 2-KLG could induce acidic and oxidative stress in B. pumilus and K. vulgare, which could be a guide for a greater understanding of the interaction between the microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning, China
| | - Shuxia Lyu
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning, China.
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26
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Gangwal A, Kumar N, Sangwan N, Dhasmana N, Dhawan U, Sajid A, Arora G, Singh Y. Giving a signal: how protein phosphorylation helps Bacillus navigate through different life stages. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad044. [PMID: 37533212 PMCID: PMC10465088 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad044] [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: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation is a universal mechanism regulating a wide range of cellular responses across all domains of life. The antagonistic activities of kinases and phosphatases can orchestrate the life cycle of an organism. The availability of bacterial genome sequences, particularly Bacillus species, followed by proteomics and functional studies have aided in the identification of putative protein kinases and protein phosphatases, and their downstream substrates. Several studies have established the role of phosphorylation in different physiological states of Bacillus species as they pass through various life stages such as sporulation, germination, and biofilm formation. The most common phosphorylation sites in Bacillus proteins are histidine, aspartate, tyrosine, serine, threonine, and arginine residues. Protein phosphorylation can alter protein activity, structural conformation, and protein-protein interactions, ultimately affecting the downstream pathways. In this review, we summarize the knowledge available in the field of Bacillus signaling, with a focus on the role of protein phosphorylation in its physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakriti Gangwal
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Faculty of Science, Delhi- 110007, India
| | - Nishant Kumar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Faculty of Science, Delhi- 110007, India
| | - Nitika Sangwan
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Faculty of Science, Delhi- 110007, India
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, New Delhi-110075, India
| | - Neha Dhasmana
- School of Medicine, New York University, 550 First Avenue New York-10016, New York, United States
| | - Uma Dhawan
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, New Delhi-110075, India
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- 300 Cedar St, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, New Haven CT, United States
| | - Gunjan Arora
- 300 Cedar St, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, New Haven CT, United States
| | - Yogendra Singh
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Faculty of Science, Delhi- 110007, India
- Delhi School of Public Health, Institution of Eminence, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007, India
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27
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Isticato R. Bacterial Spore-Based Delivery System: 20 Years of a Versatile Approach for Innovative Vaccines. Biomolecules 2023; 13:947. [PMID: 37371527 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosal vaccines offer several advantages over injectable conventional vaccines, such as the induction of adaptive immunity, with secretory IgA production at the entry site of most pathogens, and needle-less vaccinations. Despite their potential, only a few mucosal vaccines are currently used. Developing new effective mucosal vaccines strongly relies on identifying innovative antigens, efficient adjuvants, and delivery systems. Several approaches based on phages, bacteria, or nanoparticles have been proposed to deliver antigens to mucosal surfaces. Bacterial spores have also been considered antigen vehicles, and various antigens have been successfully exposed on their surface. Due to their peculiar structure, spores conjugate the advantages of live microorganisms with synthetic nanoparticles. When mucosally administered, spores expressing antigens have been shown to induce antigen-specific, protective immune responses. This review accounts for recent progress in the formulation of spore-based mucosal vaccines, describing a spore's structure, specifically the spore surface, and the diverse approaches developed to improve its efficiency as a vehicle for heterologous antigen presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Isticato
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, Via Cinthia 4, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for Studies on Bioinspired Agro-Environmental Technology (BAT Center), 80055 Naples, Italy
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28
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Millgaard M, Bidart GN, Pogrebnyakov I, Nielsen AT, Welner DH. An improved integrative GFP-based vector for genetic engineering of Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius facilitates the identification of a key sporulation regulator. AMB Express 2023; 13:44. [PMID: 37154828 PMCID: PMC10167077 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-023-01544-9] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius is a thermophilic Gram-positive bacterium, which is a promising host organism for sustainable bio-based production processes. However, to take full advantage of the potential of P. thermoglucosidasius, more efficient tools for genetic engineering are required. The present study describes an improved shuttle vector, which speeds up recombination-based genomic modification by incorporating a thermostable sfGFP variant into the vector backbone. This additional selection marker allows for easier identification of recombinants, thereby removing the need for several culturing steps. The novel GFP-based shuttle is therefore capable of facilitating faster metabolic engineering of P. thermoglucosidasius through genomic deletion, integration, or exchange. To demonstrate the efficiency of the new system, the GFP-based vector was utilised for deletion of the spo0A gene in P. thermoglucosidasius DSM2542. This gene is known to be a key regulator of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, and it was therefore hypothesised that the deletion of spo0A in P. thermoglucosiadius would produce an analogous sporulation-inhibited phenotype. Subsequent analyses of cell morphology and culture heat resistance suggests that the P. thermoglucosidasius ∆spo0A strain is sporulation-deficient. This strain may be an excellent starting point for future cell factory engineering of P. thermoglucosidasius, as the formation of endospores is normally not a desired trait in large-scale production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Millgaard
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Gonzalo Nahuel Bidart
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ivan Pogrebnyakov
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Alex Toftgaard Nielsen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Ditte Hededam Welner
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Building 220, Kemitorvet, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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29
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Ran N, Sorek G, Stein N, Sharon-Gojman R, Herzberg M, Gillor O. Multispecies biofilms on reverse osmosis membrane dictate the function and characteristics of the bacterial communities rather than their structure. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:115999. [PMID: 37105294 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The main reason for the deterioration of membrane operation during water purification processes is biofouling, which has therefore been extensively studied. Biofouling was shown to reduce membrane performance reflected by permeate flux decline, reduced selectivity, membrane biodegradation, and consequently, an increase in energy consumption. Studies of biofouling focused on the identification of the assembled microbial communities, the excretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and their combined role in reduced membrane performance and lifetime. However, the link between the structure and function of biofouling communities has not been elucidated to date. Here, we provide a novel insight, suggesting that bacterial functions rather than composition control biofouling traits on reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. We studied the potential activity of RO biofilms at metatranscriptome resolution, accompanied by the morphology and function of the biofouling layer over time, including microscopy and EPS composition, adhesion, and viscoelastic properties. To that end, we cultivated natural multispecies biofilms in RO membranes under treated wastewater flow and extracted RNA to study their taxonomies and gene expression profiles. Concomitantly, the biofilm structure was visualized using both scanning electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. We also used quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation to characterize the affinity of EPS to membrane-mimetic sensors and evaluated the viscoelasticity of the Ex-Situ EPS layer formed on the sensor. Our results showed that different active bacterial taxa across five taxonomic classes were assembled on the RO membrane, while the composition shifted between 48 and 96 h. However, regardless of the composition, the maturation of the biofilm resulted in the expression of similar gene families tightly associated with the temporal kinetics of the EPS composition, adhesion, and viscoelasticity. Our findings highlight the temporal selection of specific microbial functions rather than composition, featuring the adhesion kinetics and viscoelastic properties of the RO biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noya Ran
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990, Israel
| | - Gil Sorek
- Department of Life Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, 84105, Israel; National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva, 84105, Israel
| | - Noa Stein
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990, Israel
| | - Revital Sharon-Gojman
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990, Israel
| | - Moshe Herzberg
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990, Israel.
| | - Osnat Gillor
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben Gurion, 84990, Israel.
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30
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Collins KM, Evans NJ, Torpey JH, Harris JM, Haynes BA, Camp AH, Isaacson RL. Structural Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Sigma Factors. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041077. [PMID: 37110501 PMCID: PMC10141391 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041077] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria use an array of sigma factors to regulate gene expression during different stages of their life cycles. Full-length, atomic-level structures of sigma factors have been challenging to obtain experimentally as a result of their many regions of intrinsic disorder. AlphaFold has now supplied plausible full-length models for most sigma factors. Here we discuss the current understanding of the structures and functions of sigma factors in the model organism, Bacillus subtilis, and present an X-ray crystal structure of a region of B. subtilis SigE, a sigma factor that plays a critical role in the developmental process of spore formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Collins
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Nicola J Evans
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - James H Torpey
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Jonathon M Harris
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Bethany A Haynes
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
| | - Amy H Camp
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, USA
| | - Rivka L Isaacson
- Department of Chemistry, King's College London, Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street, London SE1 1DB, UK
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31
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Guerrero M. GG. Sporulation, Structure Assembly, and Germination in the Soil Bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis: Survival and Success in the Environment and the Insect Host. MICROBIOLOGY RESEARCH 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/microbiolres14020035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a rod-shaped, Gram-positive soil bacterium that belongs to the phylum Firmicutes and the genus Bacillus. It is a spore-forming bacterium. During sporulation, it produces a wide range of crystalline proteins that are toxic to different orders of insects. Sporulation, structure assembly, and germination are essential stages in the cell cycle of B. thuringiensis. The majority of studies on these issues have focused on the model organism Bacillus subtilis, followed by Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis. The machinery for sporulation and germination extrapolated to B. thuringiensis. However, in the light of recent findings concerning the role of the sporulation proteins (SPoVS), the germination receptors (Gr), and the cortical enzymes in Bt, the theory strengthened that conservation in sporulation, structure assembly, and germination programs drive the survival and success of B. thuringiensis in the environment and the insect host. In the present minireview, the latter pinpointed and reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria G. Guerrero M.
- Unidad Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Immunobiología, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Av. Preparatoria S/N, Col. Agronomicas, Zacatecas 98066, Mexico
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32
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Brogan AP, Rudner DZ. Regulation of peptidoglycan hydrolases: localization, abundance, and activity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 72:102279. [PMID: 36812681 PMCID: PMC10031507 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Most bacteria are surrounded by a cell wall composed of peptidoglycan (PG) that specifies shape and protects the cell from osmotic rupture. Growth, division, and morphogenesis are intimately linked to the synthesis of this exoskeleton but also its hydrolysis. The enzymes that cleave the PG meshwork require careful control to prevent aberrant hydrolysis and loss of envelope integrity. Bacteria employ diverse mechanisms to control the activity, localization, and abundance of these potentially autolytic enzymes. Here, we discuss four examples of how cells integrate these control mechanisms to finely tune cell wall hydrolysis. We highlight recent advances and exciting avenues for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna P Brogan
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Z Rudner
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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33
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Li C, Du X, Liu ZH, Li BZ, Meng X, Zhao J, Zhao ZM, Ragauskas AJ. Steam explosion pretreatment coupling high-temperature short-time sterilization facilitating cellulose degradation and sporulation-regulatory gene expression in high-solid fermentation. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 232:123475. [PMID: 36720325 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123475] [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: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Steam explosion coupling high-temperature short-time sterilization (SE-HTST) was exploited to modify cellulosic biomass medium properties and promote high-solid fermentation (HSF). Biomass characterization analysis showed that SE-HTST enlarged microstructural pores and cavities in solid media, providing more effective space for microbial growth. Meanwhile, SE-HTST helped to release glucose from the cellulose with 35.8 ± 4.5, 20.0 ± 2.3, and 12.3 ± 5.7 mg glucose/g dry medium at 24, 48, and 72 h of fermentation, which were 3.1, 2.3, and 1.5 times higher than that in medium from conventional thermal sterilization (CTS), respectively. SE-HTST increased the viable cell and spore number of Bacillus subtilis by 1.8 and 1.6 times at 72 h of fermentation compared to CTS. Moreover, the expressions of master transcriptional gene spo0A and the early sigma factors of sigF and sigE genes gradually increased in the SE-HTST medium, showing enhanced sporulation in HSF. Therefore, SE-HTST is an effective strategy for facilitating cellulose degradation, improving glucose nutrients in biomass medium, and promoting sporulation-regulatory gene expression during high-solid fermentation, which enhances the production of microbial ecological agents using B. subtilis significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonglei Li
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Wastes Reuse, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Xiaoyu Du
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Wastes Reuse, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Bing-Zhi Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xianzhi Meng
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States
| | - Ji Zhao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Wastes Reuse, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Zhi-Min Zhao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Wastes Reuse, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Joint Institute of Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States.
| | - Arthur J Ragauskas
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Joint Institute of Biological Sciences, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States; Center for Renewable Carbon, Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States.
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34
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Ayerakwa EA, Abban MK, Isawumi A, Mosi L. Profiling Mycobacterium ulcerans: sporulation, survival strategy and response to environmental factors. Future Sci OA 2023; 9:FSO845. [PMID: 37026027 PMCID: PMC10072065 DOI: 10.2144/fsoa-2022-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer – a necrotizing skin infection. As an environmental pathogen, it has developed stress response mechanisms for survival. Similar to endospore formation in M. marinum, it is likely that M. ulcerans employs sporulation mechanisms for its survival and transmission. In this review, we modeled possible transmission routes and patterns of M. ulcerans from the environment to its host. We provided insights into the evolution of M. ulcerans and its genomic profiles. We discuss reservoirs of M. ulcerans as an environmental pathogen and its environmental survival. We comprehensively discuss sporulation as a possible stress response mechanism and modelled endospore formation in M. ulcerans. At last, we highlighted sporulation associated markers, which upon expression trigger endospore formation.
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35
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Roberts DM. A new role for monomeric ParA/Soj in chromosome dynamics in Bacillus subtilis. Microbiologyopen 2023; 12:e1344. [PMID: 36825885 PMCID: PMC9841721 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
ParABS (Soj-Spo0J) systems were initially implicated in plasmid and chromosome segregation in bacteria. However, it is now increasingly understood that they play multiple roles in cell cycle events in Bacillus subtilis, and possibly other bacteria. In a recent study, monomeric forms of ParA/Soj have been implicated in regulating aspects of chromosome dynamics during B. subtilis sporulation. In this commentary, I will discuss the known roles of ParABS systems, explore why sporulation is a valuable model for studying these proteins, and the new insights into the role of monomeric ParA/Soj. Finally, I will touch upon some of the future work that remains.
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36
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Lin WT, How SC, Lin WZ, Chen FH, Liao WC, Ma IC, Wang SSS, Hou SY. Using flow cytometry to develop a competitive assay for the detection of biotin. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtice.2023.104691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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A Flexible and Efficient Microfluidics Platform for the Characterization and Isolation of Novel Bacteriophages. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0159622. [PMID: 36602353 PMCID: PMC9888219 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01596-22] [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] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. This property makes them highly suitable for varied uses in industry or in the development of the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the conventional methods that are used to isolate and analyze these bacteriophages from the environment are generally cumbersome and time consuming. Here, we adapted a high-throughput microfluidic setup for long-term analysis of bacteriophage-bacteria interaction and demonstrate isolation of phages from environmental samples. IMPORTANCE Bacteriophages are gaining increased attention for their potential application as agents to combat antibiotic-resistant infections. However, isolation and characterization of new phages are time consuming and limited by currently used methods. The microfluidics platform presented here allows the isolation and long-term analysis of phages and their effect on host cells with fluorescent light microscopy imaging. Furthermore, this new workflow allows high-throughput characterization of environmental samples for the identification of phages alongside gaining detailed insight into the host response. Taken together, this microfluidics platform will be a valuable tool for phage research, enabling faster and more efficient screening and characterization of host-phage interactions.
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Romero-Rodríguez A, Ruiz-Villafán B, Martínez-de la Peña CF, Sánchez S. Targeting the Impossible: A Review of New Strategies against Endospores. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020248. [PMID: 36830159 PMCID: PMC9951900 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020248] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Endospore-forming bacteria are ubiquitous, and their endospores can be present in food, in domestic animals, and on contaminated surfaces. Many spore-forming bacteria have been used in biotechnological applications, while others are human pathogens responsible for a wide range of critical clinical infections. Due to their resistant properties, it is challenging to eliminate spores and avoid the reactivation of latent spores that may lead to active infections. Furthermore, endospores play an essential role in the survival, transmission, and pathogenesis of some harmful strains that put human and animal health at risk. Thus, different methods have been applied for their eradication. Nevertheless, natural products are still a significant source for discovering and developing new antibiotics. Moreover, targeting the spore for clinical pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile is essential to disease prevention and therapeutics. These strategies could directly aim at the structural components of the spore or their germination process. This work summarizes the current advances in upcoming strategies and the development of natural products against endospores. This review also intends to highlight future perspectives in research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Romero-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Beatriz Ruiz-Villafán
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
| | - Claudia Fabiola Martínez-de la Peña
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72592, Mexico
| | - Sergio Sánchez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
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Burkhardt M, Rapp J, Menzel C, Link H, Forchhammer K. The Global Influence of Sodium on Cyanobacteria in Resuscitation from Nitrogen Starvation. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020159. [PMID: 36829438 PMCID: PMC9952445 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Dormancy and resuscitation are key to bacterial survival under fluctuating environmental conditions. In the absence of combined nitrogen sources, the non-diazotrophic model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 enters into a metabolically quiescent state during a process termed chlorosis. This state enables the cells to survive until nitrogen sources reappear, whereupon the cells resuscitate in a process that follows a highly orchestrated program. This coincides with a metabolic switch into a heterotrophic-like mode where glycogen catabolism provides the cells with reductant and carbon skeletons for the anabolic reactions that serve to re-establish a photosynthetically active cell. Here we show that the entire resuscitation process requires the presence of sodium, a ubiquitous cation that has a broad impact on bacterial physiology. The requirement for sodium in resuscitating cells persists even at elevated CO2 levels, a condition that, by contrast, relieves the requirement for sodium ions in vegetative cells. Using a multi-pronged approach, including the first metabolome analysis of Synechocystis cells resuscitating from chlorosis, we reveal the involvement of sodium at multiple levels. Not only does sodium play a role in the bioenergetics of chlorotic cells, as previously shown, but it is also involved in nitrogen compound assimilation, pH regulation, and synthesis of key metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Burkhardt
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Johanna Rapp
- CMFI, Bacterial Metabolomics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 24, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Menzel
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hannes Link
- CMFI, Bacterial Metabolomics, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 24, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Karl Forchhammer
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Narayanasamy S, Thankappan S, Kumaravel S, Ragupathi S, Uthandi S. Complete genome sequence analysis of a plant growth-promoting phylloplane Bacillus altitudinis FD48 offers mechanistic insights into priming drought stress tolerance in rice. Genomics 2023; 115:110550. [PMID: 36565792 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110550] [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] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus altitudinis FD48 is a multifunctional plant growth-promoting bacterium isolated from the phylloplane of rice and survives at --10 bars of osmotic potential (--1.0 MPa). It also serves as an ideal PGPM against drought stress by triggering antioxidant defense mechanisms in rice. To further unravel the genetic determinants of osmotic stress tolerance and plant growth-promoting traits, the whole genome sequence of FD48 was compared with its related strains. The whole genome analysis revealed a single chromosome with a total length of 3,752,533 bp (3.7 Mb) and an average G + C ratio of 41.19%. A total of 4029 genes were predicted, of which 3964 (98.4%) were protein-encoding genes (PEGs) and 65 (1.6%) were non-protein-coding genes. The interaction of FD48 with the host plants is associated with many chemotactic and motility-related genes. The ability of FD48 to colonize plants and maintain plant growth under adverse environmental conditions was evidenced by the presence of genes for plant nutrient acquisition, phytohormone synthesis, trehalose, choline, and glycine betaine biosynthesis, microbial volatile organic compounds (acetoin synthesis), heat and cold shock chaperones, translation elongation factor TU (Ef-Tu), siderophore production, DEAD/DEAH boxes, and non- ribosomal peptide synthase clusters (bacilysin, fengycin, and bacitracin). This study sheds light on the drought stress-resilient mechanism, metabolic pathways and potential activity, and plant growth-promoting traits of B. altitudinis FD48 at the genetic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobana Narayanasamy
- Biocatalysts Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India
| | - Sugitha Thankappan
- Biocatalysts Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India
| | - Sowmya Kumaravel
- Biocatalysts Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India
| | - Sridar Ragupathi
- Biocatalysts Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India
| | - Sivakumar Uthandi
- Biocatalysts Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641 003, India.
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Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the biocontrol mechanism of Bacillus velezensis E68 against Fusarium graminearum DAOMC 180378, the causal agent of Fusarium head blight. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0277983. [PMID: 36701319 PMCID: PMC9879434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fusarium graminearum is the causal agent of Fusarium Head Blight, a serious disease affecting grain crops worldwide. Biological control involves the use of microorganisms to combat plant pathogens such as F. graminearum. Strains of Bacillus velezensis are common biological control candidates for use against F. graminearum and other plant pathogens, as they can secrete antifungal secondary metabolites. Here we study the interaction between B. velezensis E68 and F. graminearum DAOMC 180378 by employing a dual RNA-seq approach to assess the transcriptional changes in both organisms. In dual culture, B. velezensis up-regulated genes related to sporulation and phosphate stress and down-regulated genes related to secondary metabolism, biofilm formation and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. F. graminearum up-regulated genes encoding for killer protein 4-like proteins and genes relating to heavy metal tolerance, and down-regulated genes relating to trichothecene biosynthesis and phenol metabolism. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between a biocontrol bacterium and a phytopathogenic fungus.
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Taylor-Joyce G, Manoharan S, Brooker TA, Hernández-Rodríguez CS, Baillie L, Oyston PCF, Hapeshi A, Waterfield NR. The influence of extrachromosomal elements in the anthrax "cross-over" strain Bacillus cereus G9241. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1113642. [PMID: 37213513 PMCID: PMC10196113 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1113642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus cereus G9241 was isolated from a welder who survived a pulmonary anthrax-like disease. Strain G9241 carries two virulence plasmids, pBCX01 and pBC210, as well as an extrachromosomal prophage, pBFH_1. pBCX01 has 99.6% sequence identity to pXO1 carried by Bacillus anthracis and encodes the tripartite anthrax toxin genes and atxA, a mammalian virulence transcriptional regulator. This work looks at how the presence of pBCX01 and temperature may affect the lifestyle of B. cereus G9241 using a transcriptomic analysis and by studying spore formation, an important part of the B. anthracis lifecycle. Here we report that pBCX01 has a stronger effect on gene transcription at the mammalian infection relevant temperature of 37°C in comparison to 25°C. At 37°C, the presence of pBCX01 appears to have a negative effect on genes involved in cell metabolism, including biosynthesis of amino acids, whilst positively affecting the transcription of many transmembrane proteins. The study of spore formation showed B. cereus G9241 sporulated rapidly in comparison to the B. cereus sensu stricto type strain ATCC 14579, particularly at 37°C. The carriage of pBCX01 did not affect this phenotype suggesting that other genetic elements were driving rapid sporulation. An unexpected finding of this study was that pBFH_1 is highly expressed at 37°C in comparison to 25°C and pBFH_1 expression leads to the production of Siphoviridae-like phage particles in the supernatant of B. cereus G9241. This study provides an insight on how the extrachromosomal genetic elements in B. cereus G9241 has an influence in bacterial phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Taylor-Joyce
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Shathviga Manoharan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas A. Brooker
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | | | - Les Baillie
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alexia Hapeshi
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas R. Waterfield
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Nicholas R. Waterfield,
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Durand-Heredia J, Hsieh HY, Spreng KA, Stewart GC. Roles and Organization of BxpB (ExsFA) and ExsFB in the Exosporium Outer Basal Layer of Bacillus anthracis. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0029022. [PMID: 36394311 PMCID: PMC9765029 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00290-22] [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: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BxpB (also known as ExsFA) and ExsFB are an exosporium basal layer structural protein and a putative interspace protein of Bacillus anthracis that are known to be required for proper incorporation of the BclA collagen-like glycoprotein on the spore surface. Despite extensive similarity of the two proteins, their distribution in the spore is markedly different. We utilized a fluorescent fusion approach to examine features of the two genes that affect spore localization. The timing of expression of the bxpB and exsFB genes and their distinct N-terminal sequences were both found to be important for proper assembly into the exosporium basal layer. Results of this study provided evidence that the BclA nap glycoprotein is not covalently attached to BxpB protein despite the key role that the latter plays in BclA incorporation. Assembly of the BxpB- and ExsFB-containing outer basal layer appears not to be completely abolished in mutants lacking the ExsY and CotY basal layer structural proteins despite these spores lacking a visible exosporium. The BxpB and, to a lesser extent, the ExsFB proteins, were found to be capable of self-assembly in vitro into higher-molecular-weight forms that are stable to boiling in SDS under reducing conditions. IMPORTANCE The genus Bacillus consists of spore-forming bacteria. Some species of this genus, especially those that are pathogens of animals or insects, contain an outermost spore layer called the exosporium. The zoonotic pathogen B. anthracis is an example of this group. The exosporium likely contributes to virulence and environmental persistence of these pathogens. This work provides important new insights into the exosporium assembly process and the interplay between BclA and BxpB in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Durand-Heredia
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Hsin-Yeh Hsieh
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Krista A. Spreng
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - George C. Stewart
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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Tang C, Wang L, Zang L, Wang Q, Qi D, Dai Z. On-demand biomanufacturing through synthetic biology approach. Mater Today Bio 2022; 18:100518. [PMID: 36636637 PMCID: PMC9830231 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopharmaceuticals including protein therapeutics, engineered protein-based vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, are currently the mainstay products of the biotechnology industry. However, the need for specialized equipment and refrigeration during production and distribution poses challenges for the delivery of these technologies to the field and low-resource area. With the development of synthetic biology, multiple studies rewire the cell-free system or living cells to impact the portable, on-site and on-demand manufacturing of biomolecules. Here, we review these efforts and suggest future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenwang Tang
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Synthesis, Transformation and Separation of Extreme Environmental Nutrients, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Lei Zang
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Qing Wang
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Dianpeng Qi
- MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Synthesis, Transformation and Separation of Extreme Environmental Nutrients, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China,Corresponding author.
| | - Zhuojun Dai
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China,Corresponding author.
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Chemla Y, Dorfan Y, Yannai A, Meng D, Cao P, Glaven S, Gordon DB, Elbaz J, Voigt CA. Parallel engineering of environmental bacteria and performance over years under jungle-simulated conditions. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278471. [PMID: 36516154 PMCID: PMC9750038 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineered bacteria could perform many functions in the environment, for example, to remediate pollutants, deliver nutrients to crops or act as in-field biosensors. Model organisms can be unreliable in the field, but selecting an isolate from the thousands that naturally live there and genetically manipulating them to carry the desired function is a slow and uninformed process. Here, we demonstrate the parallel engineering of isolates from environmental samples by using the broad-host-range XPORT conjugation system (Bacillus subtilis mini-ICEBs1) to transfer a genetic payload to many isolates in parallel. Bacillus and Lysinibacillus species were obtained from seven soil and water samples from different locations in Israel. XPORT successfully transferred a genetic function (reporter expression) into 25 of these isolates. They were then screened to identify the best-performing chassis based on the expression level, doubling time, functional stability in soil, and environmentally-relevant traits of its closest annotated reference species, such as the ability to sporulate and temperature tolerance. From this library, we selected Bacillus frigoritolerans A3E1, re-introduced it to soil, and measured function and genetic stability in a contained environment that replicates jungle conditions. After 21 months of storage, the engineered bacteria were viable, could perform their function, and did not accumulate disruptive mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonatan Chemla
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yuval Dorfan
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Adi Yannai
- School of Molecular Cell Biology & Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dechuan Meng
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Paul Cao
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sarah Glaven
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - D. Benjamin Gordon
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Johann Elbaz
- School of Molecular Cell Biology & Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Christopher A. Voigt
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Arjes HA, Gui H, Porter R, Atolia E, Peters JM, Gross C, Kearns DB, Huang KC. Fatty Acid Synthesis Knockdown Promotes Biofilm Wrinkling and Inhibits Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. mBio 2022; 13:e0138822. [PMID: 36069446 PMCID: PMC9600695 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01388-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Many bacterial species typically live in complex three-dimensional biofilms, yet much remains unknown about differences in essential processes between nonbiofilm and biofilm lifestyles. Here, we created a CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) library of knockdown strains covering all known essential genes in the biofilm-forming Bacillus subtilis strain NCIB 3610 and investigated growth, biofilm colony wrinkling, and sporulation phenotypes of the knockdown library. First, we showed that gene essentiality is largely conserved between liquid and surface growth and between two media. Second, we quantified biofilm colony wrinkling using a custom image analysis algorithm and found that fatty acid synthesis and DNA gyrase knockdown strains exhibited increased wrinkling independent of biofilm matrix gene expression. Third, we designed a high-throughput screen to quantify sporulation efficiency after essential gene knockdown; we found that partial knockdowns of essential genes remained competent for sporulation in a sporulation-inducing medium, but knockdown of essential genes involved in fatty acid synthesis exhibited reduced sporulation efficiency in LB, a medium with generally lower levels of sporulation. We conclude that a subset of essential genes are particularly important for biofilm structure and sporulation/germination and suggest a previously unappreciated and multifaceted role for fatty acid synthesis in bacterial lifestyles and developmental processes. IMPORTANCE For many bacteria, life typically involves growth in dense, three-dimensional communities called biofilms that contain cells with differentiated roles held together by extracellular matrix. To examine how essential gene function varies between vegetative growth and the developmental states of biofilm formation and sporulation, we created and screened a comprehensive library of strains using CRISPRi to knockdown expression of each essential gene in the biofilm-capable Bacillus subtilis strain 3610. High-throughput assays and computational algorithms identified a subset of essential genes involved in biofilm wrinkling and sporulation and indicated that fatty acid synthesis plays important and multifaceted roles in bacterial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi A. Arjes
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Haiwen Gui
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Rachel Porter
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Esha Atolia
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jason M. Peters
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Carol Gross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Daniel B. Kearns
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, USA
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Lichtenberg M, Kragh KN, Fritz B, Kirkegaard JB, Tolker-Nielsen T, Bjarnsholt T. Cyclic-di-GMP signaling controls metabolic activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111515. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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48
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Li C, Zhao K, Ma L, Zhao J, Zhao ZM. Effects of drying strategies on sporulation and titer of microbial ecological agents with Bacillus subtilis. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1025248. [PMID: 36238457 PMCID: PMC9551345 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1025248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Drying operation is beneficial to the preservation and transportation of microbial ecological agents. In this study, drying kinetics and water distribution variations in solid biomass medium during hot air drying (HAD) and vacuum freeze drying (VFD) were systematically investigated. Meanwhile, the effects of different drying strategies on the sporulation of Bacillus subtilis and the titer of microbial ecological agents were compared. The results showed that both HAD and VFD induced rapid water removal from the solid biomass medium. VFD retained bound water and maintained the porous structure of the solid medium. Both HAD and VFD induced sporulation. The expression level of sporulation-regulatory genes spo0A, sigF, and sigE followed the order 80°C-HAD > 60°C-HAD > VFD. The spore number in the medium after 80°C-HAD drying for 6 h was 0.72 × 1010/g dry medium, which was 9.1 and 12.5% larger than that of the medium with 60°C-HAD and VFD, respectively. Therefore, 80°C-HAD is an effective drying strategy for promoting sporulation, which improves the titer of microbial ecological agents with B. subtilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonglei Li
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Wastes Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau (Ministry of Education), Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Wastes Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau (Ministry of Education), Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Litong Ma
- Inner Mongolia Engineering Research Center of Comprehensive Utilization of Bio-coal Chemical Industry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, China
| | - Ji Zhao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Wastes Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhi-Min Zhao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Wastes Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau (Ministry of Education), Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
- *Correspondence: Zhi-Min Zhao
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Genetic Screens Identify Additional Genes Implicated in Envelope Remodeling during the Engulfment Stage of Bacillus subtilis Sporulation. mBio 2022; 13:e0173222. [PMID: 36066101 PMCID: PMC9600426 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01732-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During bacterial endospore formation, the developing spore is internalized into the mother cell through a phagocytic-like process called engulfment, which involves synthesis and hydrolysis of peptidoglycan. Engulfment peptidoglycan hydrolysis requires the widely conserved and well-characterized DMP complex, composed of SpoIID, SpoIIM, and SpoIIP. In contrast, although peptidoglycan synthesis has been implicated in engulfment, the protein players involved are less well defined. The widely conserved SpoIIIAH-SpoIIQ interaction is also required for engulfment efficiency, functioning like a ratchet to promote membrane migration around the forespore. Here, we screened for additional factors required for engulfment using transposon sequencing in Bacillus subtilis mutants with mild engulfment defects. We discovered that YrvJ, a peptidoglycan hydrolase, and the MurA paralog MurAB, involved in peptidoglycan precursor synthesis, are required for efficient engulfment. Cytological analyses suggest that both factors are important for engulfment when the DMP complex is compromised and that MurAB is additionally required when the SpoIIIAH-SpoIIQ ratchet is abolished. Interestingly, despite the importance of MurAB for sporulation in B. subtilis, phylogenetic analyses of MurA paralogs indicate that there is no correlation between sporulation and the number of MurA paralogs and further reveal the existence of a third MurA paralog, MurAC, within the Firmicutes. Collectively, our studies identify two new factors that are required for efficient envelop remodeling during sporulation and highlight the importance of peptidoglycan precursor synthesis for efficient engulfment in B. subtilis and likely other endospore-forming bacteria.
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Zeng J, Wang H, Dong M, Tian GB. Clostridioides difficile spore: coat assembly and formation. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:2340-2349. [PMID: 36032037 PMCID: PMC9542656 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2119168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, toxin-producing, obligate anaerobic bacterium. C. difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infective diarrhoea. The infection is mediated by the spore, a metabolically inactive form of C. difficile. The spore coat acts as a physical barrier to defend against chemical insults from hosts and natural environments. The composition of spore coat has already been revealed; therefore, the interactive networks of spore coat proteins and the dynamic process of coat assembly are the keys to design strategies to control and cure CDI. This review gives a brief discussion of the signal processing and transcriptional regulation of C. difficile sporulation initiation. Following the discussion, the spore formation is also introduced. Finally, this review mainly focuses on the spore coat assembly, a poorly understood process in C. difficile, and important proteins that have been studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Zeng
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Urology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Guo-Bao Tian
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong 510080, China
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China
- School of Medicine, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, Shaanxi 712082, China
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