Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Judith Matavacas, Deepak Anand, Claes von Wachenfeldt
Summary: Spx is a global transcriptional regulator that controls the Bacillus subtilis response to disulfide stress. The protein YjbH plays a critical role in regulating the cellular Spx levels by promoting its degradation through ClpXP-mediated degradation. Under stress conditions, YjbH forms aggregates by unknown mechanisms, leading to increased Spx levels. This study investigates the individual cell responses to disulfide stress through the Spx-YjbH system and reveals the heterogeneity in aggregate load and its implications for cellular fitness.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qilin Yu, Haohao Mao, Bowen Yang, Yahui Zhu, Cheng Sun, Zhiqiang Zhao, Yang Li, Yaobin Zhang
Summary: Electrical stimulation was found to enhance microbial extracellular electron transfer (EET), but the underlying reasons were unclear. This study showed that Bacillus subtilis, a gram-positive bacterium capable of extracellular respiration, had a higher EET capacity after electrical domestication. It was discovered that the polarization of amide groups induced by electrical stimulation promoted H-bond recombination and radical generation of protein-like substances, facilitating extracellular electron transfer via proton-coupled mechanism.
Article
Plant Sciences
Oksana Lastochkina, Sasan Aliniaeifard, Darya Garshina, Svetlana Garipova, Liudmila Pusenkova, Chulpan Allagulova, Kristina Fedorova, Andrey Baymiev, Igor Koryakov, Mohammadhadi Sobhani
Summary: Seed priming with endophytic Bacillus subtilis improved common bean seed germination and growth under both saline and non-saline conditions by reducing oxidative and osmotic damage. Different strains of B. subtilis affected plant growth and photosynthetic pigment levels differently, with strain 10-4 showing the most protective effects under salinity.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Eugenie Dubnau, Micaela DeSantis, David Dubnau
Summary: In Bacillus subtilis, the RicT (YaaT), RicA (YmcA), and RicF (YlbF) proteins form a stable ternary complex with RNase Y (Rny) to cleave and stabilize key transcripts encoding enzymes of intermediary metabolism. The formation of the stable RicT-Rny complex requires the presence of RicA and RicF and the two iron-sulfur clusters carried by the Ric complex. Proteins of the degradosome-like network are dispensable for processing of the gapA operon, indicating that Rny participates in distinct RNA-related processes determined by its binding partners.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Veronica Tshogofatso Kgosi, Bao Tingting, Zhao Ying, Hongxia Liu
Summary: In recent years, biological control has gained more attention as a promising method to combat plant disease. This study identified a microbial strain DL76, isolated from a rice farm, which showed strong antimicrobial effects on Magnaporthe oryzae, the cause of rice blast disease. DL76 was found to delay and suppress the germination of conidia and the formation of appressorium. It also exhibited hypersensitivity to osmotic, oxidative, and cell wall degrading agents. Additionally, DL76 reduced the incidence and severity of rice blast in vivo.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Paul Joshua Hurst, Michael A. Morris, Annissa A. Graham, James S. Nowick, Joseph P. Patterson
Summary: Teixobactin, an antibiotic, targets bacterial cell walls by forming sheet-like assemblies, which are active when formed either transiently or sparingly at the cell surface at a concentration of 4 μg/mL.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qin Liao, Zhongqing Ren, Emma E. Wiesler, Clay Fuqua, Xindan Wang
Summary: Unlike eukaryotes and archaea, bacterial chromosomes usually have a single replication origin. However, a dicentric bacterial chromosome with two replication origins was discovered in Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and both replication origins and their partitioning systems are essential for cell survival.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yoshikazu Kawai, Maki Kawai, Eilidh Sohini Mackenzie, Yousef Dashti, Bernhard Kepplinger, Kevin John Waldron, Jeff Errington
Summary: Inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis by β-lactam antibiotics results in loss of cell wall integrity, leading to cell death through metabolic perturbations and oxidative damage. Kawai et al. identify key enzymatic steps that stimulate the generation of reactive oxygen species and highlight the role of iron homeostasis in the lethal effects mediated by oxidative damage.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Sean A. Wilson, Raveen K. J. Tank, Jamie K. Hobbs, Simon J. Foster, Ethan C. Garner
Summary: The only essential function of cell wall hydrolases in B. subtilis is to enable cell growth by expanding the wall, and LytE or CwlO alone is sufficient for this function.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ane Landajuela, Martha Braun, Alejandro Martinez-Calvo, Christopher D. A. Rodrigues, Carolina Gomis Perez, Thierry Doan, David Z. Rudner, Ned S. Wingreen, Erdem Karatekin
Summary: In Bacillus subtilis, membrane fission during cell division and endospore formation involves forespore inflation, increased membrane tension, and the presence of FisB protein. Forespore inflation leads to higher tension in the engulfment membrane, causing membrane flow and supplying membrane for forespore growth. FisB oligomerization at the membrane neck slows tension equilibration, further increasing engulfment membrane tension and promoting fission.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shuai Liu, Yuwei Gao, Lin Quan, Mei Yang, Yong-Zhong Wang, Changjun Hou
Summary: This study investigates the lignocellulolytic enzyme production of B. subtilis under GO stress and proposes a potential mechanism by which B. subtilis enhances lignocellulolytic enzyme production through the calcium signaling pathway under GO stress. This work reveals the role of calcium signaling in enzyme production under external environmental stress and provides a direction to facilitate lignocellulolytic enzyme production by B. subtilis.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hossein Mehrasa, Amin Farnia, Mojtaba Jafarzadeh Kenarsari, Shahram Nakhjavan
Summary: Drought is a major abiotic stress that limits crop yields worldwide. This study investigated the effects of drought stress, endophytic bacteria, and salicylic acid on the growth and physiological parameters of white bean plants. The results showed that the combined application of SB bacteria and SA significantly enhanced drought tolerance in the plants.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jibin Xiao, Xuanmin Xie, Chuang Li, Guozhen Xing, Kun Cheng, Hui Li, Na Liu, Jinfang Tan, Wenming Zheng
Summary: Studies have shown that SPX family genes are crucial in phosphorus deficiency signal transduction in plants. In maize, the SPX gene family members are significantly induced under P-deficient conditions, with certain subfamily members showing strong responses to low P stress.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Juan D. Tibocha-Bonilla, Cristal Zuniga, Asama Lekbua, Colton Lloyd, Kevin Rychel, Katie Short, Karsten Zengler
Summary: Bacillus subtilis, a well-characterized microorganism, has been used as a model for studying Gram-positive bacteria. Metabolic modeling has helped optimize its metabolism for various applications, but traditional models are not suitable for simulating protein production and proteomic response to stress. In this study, a new metabolism and gene expression model (ME-model) of B. subtilis, iJT964-ME, was reconstructed and validated. The model outperformed previous models in predicting gene essentiality and was successfully validated using physiological and omics data. Furthermore, the model identified the mechanism behind the upregulation of tryptophan synthesis under ethanol stress and predicted amylase production rates under different growth conditions.
NPJ SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Aysegul Oktem, David Nunez-Nepomuceno, Borja Ferrero-Bordera, Jonathan Walgraeve, Michael Seefried, Manuela Gesell Salazar, Leif Steil, Stephan Michalik, Sandra Maass, Doerte Becher, Ulrike Maeder, Uwe Voelker, Jan Maarten van Dijl
Summary: This study reveals that modulation of the protease activity of HtrA, rather than complete removal, can limit the effects of secretion stress and improve bacterial fitness and enzyme yields.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Srinand Paruthiyil, Azul Pinochet-Barros, Xiaojuan Huang, John D. Helmann
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biology
Yesha Patel, Heng Zhao, John D. Heimann
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ahmed Gaballa, Tina Tianjiao Su, John D. Helmann
Summary: The bacterial cytosol is maintained in a reducing environment with the help of the thiol bacillithiol (BSH); a variety of proteins and enzymes work together to counteract protein S-bacillithiolation resulting from disulfide stress, forming a complex redox network.
Review
Microbiology
Ankita J. Sachla, John D. Helmann
Summary: Synthesis of the bacterial cell envelope relies on regulated partitioning of resources from central metabolism and key metabolic junctions for precursor allocation. Enzymes like GlmS and MurA play critical roles in directing intermediates towards peptidoglycan synthesis, while shared resources such as lipid carriers and amino acids are essential for envelope assembly. Limited resources must be shared between cellular pathways, with potential benefits from metabolite scavenging or symbiotic relationships with hosts.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ankita J. Sachla, Yuanchan Luo, John D. Helmann
Summary: Cell physiology heavily relies on metalloenzymes, which can be disrupted by imbalances in metal ion pools. Bacillus subtilis requires manganese for growth and has mechanisms for import and efflux to maintain homeostasis. Dysfunctional cytochrome aa(3)-type quinol oxidase plays a central role in metal-induced intoxication.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ankita J. Sachla, Alexander J. Alfonso, John D. Helmann
Summary: This study presents a streamlined method for bacterial strain construction using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, targeting nearly 4,000 Bacillus subtilis strains with an integrated erm resistance cassette. By utilizing a single plasmid with a gRNA targeted to erm, genome editing can be directed to nonessential genes as well as sites near essential genes. This method allows for the facile transfer of mutations and genetic constructions without intermediate cloning steps, making it a rapid and versatile approach for a wide range of genome manipulations.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Brian M. Wendel, Hualiang Pi, Larissa Krueger, Christina Herzberg, Joerg Stuelke, John D. Helmann
Summary: Osmotic stress is a significant challenge for cells, and maintaining cellular osmolyte potassium (K+) and importing or synthesizing compatible solutes are important for cell survival. It is known that high salt stress leads to transient accumulation of K+ in bacteria, resulting in bacteriostasis until compatible solutes accumulate and K+ levels are restored. In this study, using Bacillus subtilis as a model, it is shown that K+ fluxes perturb Mg2+ homeostasis and that Mg2+ reimport is critical for adaptation and growth resumption. Furthermore, cyclic di-AMP is found to coordinate with Mg2+ and K+ levels, suggesting its role in the cellular response to osmotic stress.
Article
Microbiology
Daniel F. Rojas-Tapias, Eric M. Brown, Emily R. Temple, Michelle A. Onyekaba, Ahmed M. T. Mohamed, Kellyanne Duncan, Melanie Schirmer, Rebecca L. Walker, Toufic Mayassi, Kerry A. Pierce, Julian Avila-Pacheco, Clary B. Clish, Hera Vlamakis, Ramnik J. Xavier
Summary: Veillonella parvula utilizes nitrate produced during inflammation to facilitate colonization in the intestine, which has significant implications for understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Andres E. Moreno-Galvan, Felipe Romero-Perdomo, Sergio Pardo-Diaz, Lizeth L. Davilla-Mora, Edwin Castro-Rincon, Daniel F. Rojas-Tapias, German A. Estrada-Bonilla
Summary: A silvopastoral system (SPS) combines grasses with legumes, shrubs, and trees for animal nutrition and offers a sustainable alternative to grasslands. This study investigates the long-term impact of SPS implementation on soil P nutrition, phosphomonoesterase activity, and microbial diversity. The results show that implementing SPS improves soil P availability, with a decrease in moderately-labile P. The study also highlights the potential role of alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity in P availability within the SPS. Additionally, the SPS promotes bacterial diversity and influences soil P availability through tree and shrub strips.
Review
Microbiology
Caroline H. Steingard, John D. Helmann
Summary: The Fur protein is a member of the FUR superfamily that regulates metal homeostasis in bacteria in response to iron, zinc, manganese, and nickel binding. It interacts with other regulators and small molecules to integrate signals related to metal ion balance.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jessica R. Willdigg, Yesha Patel, John D. Helmann
Summary: Understanding the coordination of cell wall and membrane synthesis is crucial for understanding bacterial growth, division, and resistance to cell envelope stresses. Balanced synthesis of the peptidoglycan cell wall and the cell membrane is critical for maintaining cell shape and pressure. In Bacillus subtilis, a loss of class A penicillin-binding proteins leads to impaired peptidoglycan synthesis, and compensatory mutations that decrease fatty acid synthesis can restore growth. Inhibiting fatty acid synthesis with cerulenin can also restore growth of the PG-limited cells and counteract the effects of beta-lactam antibiotics.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Erhard Bremer, Alexandra Calteau, Antoine Danchin, Colin Harwood, John D. Helmann, Claudine Medigue, Bernhard O. Palsson, Agnieszka Sekowska, David Vallenet, Abril Zuniga, Cristal Zuniga
Summary: The majority of genomic sequences are automatically annotated, but depend on manual annotation efforts using verified experimental data. This article summarizes the updated functional annotation of Bacillus subtilis strain 168, highlighting new metabolic insights, the role of metals in metabolism and biosynthesis, functions related to biofilm formation, features controlling cell growth, and protein agents allowing class discrimination. The updated sequence, including new genomic objects and literature review, is available at the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC: AccNum AL009126.4).
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bixi He, Ankita J. Sachla, John D. Helmann
Summary: In this study, the authors provide evidence that TerC family proteins are involved in the metalation of enzymes during export through the general secretion pathway. They found that Bacillus subtilis strains lacking MeeF and MeeY have reduced protein export capacity and decreased levels of manganese in the secreted proteome. MeeF and MeeY co-purify with proteins of the general secretory pathway and are essential for the function of the Mn2+-dependent lipoteichoic acid synthase.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Sergio Pardo-Diaz, Felipe Romero-Perdomo, Jonathan Mendoza-Labrador, Diego Delgadillo-Duran, Edwin Castro-Rincon, Antonio M. M. Silva, Daniel F. Rojas-Tapias, Elke J. B. N. Cardoso, German A. Estrada-Bonilla
Summary: Intercropping of ryegrass and red clover can increase forage yield and quality, while the use of biofertilization technologies helps improve soil nutritional properties and reduce nitrogen requirements. Inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria can enhance the growth and quality of the forage system through changes in the rhizosphere bacterial community structure.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Brian M. Wendel, Hualiang Pi, Larissa Krueger, Christina Herzberg, Jorg Stuelke, John D. Helmann
Summary: Cells regulate potassium and magnesium ions concentration under high osmotic stress to maintain viability. The reimport of magnesium ions is crucial for cell growth resumption.