Bacillus subtilis Cell Differentiation, Biofilm Formation and Environmental Prevalence

Bacillus subtilis is a soil-dwelling, spore-forming Gram-positive bacterium capable of cell differentiation. For decades, B. subtilis has been used as a model organism to study development of specialized cell types. In this minireview, we discuss cell differentiation in B. subtilis, covering both past research and recent progresses, and the role of cell differentiation in biofilm formation and prevalence of this bacterium in the environment. We review B. subtilis as a classic model for studies of endospore formation, and highlight more recent investigations on cell fate determination and generation of multiple cell types during biofilm formation. We present mechanistic details of how cell fate determination and mutually exclusive cell differentiation are regulated during biofilm formation.

Automated summary

This minireview discusses cell differentiation in Bacillus subtilis, a soil-dwelling, spore-forming Gram-positive bacterium, and its role in biofilm formation and prevalence in the environment. It provides a comprehensive review of the classic model of endospore formation in B. subtilis, as well as recent investigations on cell fate determination and generation of multiple cell types during biofilm formation. Mechanistic details of how cell fate determination and mutually exclusive cell differentiation are regulated during biofilm formation are also presented.