Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Agnes Jakab, Fruzsina Kovacs, Noemi Balla, Zoltan Toth, Agota Ragyak, Zsofi Sajtos, Kinga Csillag, Csaba Nagy-Koteles, Daniel Nemes, Ildiko Bacskay, Istvan Pocsi, Laszlo Majoros, Akos T. Kovacs, Renato Kovacs
Summary: This study demonstrates that surfactin, a secondary metabolite derived from Bacillus subtilis, exhibits antifungal properties against Candida albicans. It inhibits the growth, adhesion, and morphogenesis of C. albicans, increases the level of reduced glutathione, and enhances the efficacy of fluconazole. Surfactin also affects the gene transcription of C. albicans, with down-regulation of genes involved in morphogenesis and metabolism, and up-regulation of genes associated with ribosome biogenesis, iron metabolism, and drug transport.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Wenqiang Shen, Yaojun Liu, Xinyue Zhang, Xiong Zhang, Xiaoping Rong, Lihong Zhao, Cheng Ji, Yuanpei Lei, Fengjuan Li, Jing Chen, Qiugang Ma
Summary: In this study, the potential ameliorative effects of probiotic Bacillus subtilis and biodegradable Bacillus subtilis on ZEN toxicosis in gilts were compared. The results showed that the biodegradable Bacillus subtilis had significant protective effects on growth performance, immune function, hormone secretion, and ZEN elimination in gilts compared to the probiotic Bacillus subtilis.
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
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.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bing Wang, Irina Artsimovitch
Summary: Bacillus subtilis utilizes uncoupled transcription and translation strategies to meet its unique regulatory needs, showing that bacteria employ diverse gene expression strategies.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Eun-Ae Kwon, Jae-Ik Lee, Jeong Woong Park, Sang-Soon Kim
Summary: Primer-probe sets to detect Bacillus cereus and/or B. subtilis in food products were developed based on panX, showing high sensitivity and selectivity. The sets were validated to effectively detect the bacteria in buffer and milk samples, indicating their potential for application in food safety.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Li Liu, Gaoyang Li, Huansheng Cao
Summary: This study investigates the response of bacteria to simultaneous genetic and environmental perturbations using engineered strains as models. The findings suggest that the response is well-coordinated at the metabolic and transcriptional levels, with a reliance on bioenergetics and a minimal difference in core metabolism. Amino acid metabolism and ABC transport are identified as important functions. This research is valuable for bioengineering, synthetic biology, and systems biology.
Rating: 8/10
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Mei-yan Wu, Wen-wei Li, Graham Christie, Peter Setlow, Yong-qing Li
Summary: Using Raman tweezers and live-cell phase-contrast microscopy, this study characterized the lysis process of individual Bacillus subtilis cells carrying PBSX prophage during spores' germination, outgrowth, and vegetative growth. The findings showed that nucleic acid intensities in induced cultures decreased rapidly after prophage induction, with a delay before cell burst, and the latent time and burst time varied in cell populations under different culture conditions.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tengfei Niu, Xueqin Lv, Yanfeng Liu, Jianghua Li, Guocheng Du, Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, Long Liu
Summary: The mechanism of phosphosugar stress response in Bacillus subtilis was elucidated through comparative transcriptome analysis. Rational metabolic engineering, including the overexpression of the phosphatase YwpJ and deletion of nagB and murQ, resulted in a highly efficient microbial cell factory (strain B. subtilis FMIP34) for the production of GlcNAc, increasing the titer from 11.5 to 26.1 g/L in shake flasks and producing 87.5 g/L in a 30-L fed-batch bioreactor.
BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Felix Kofi Agbeko Kuebutornye, Yishan Lu, Zhiwen Wang, Jan Mraz
Summary: This study proves the probiotic traits of Bacillus velezensis TPS3N, Bacillus subtilis TPS4, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TPS17, which were isolated from the gut of Nile tilapia, through genomic analysis. Gene clusters responsible for acid and bile tolerance, adhesion, and colonization of the host's gut were identified. Gene markers for bacteriocins and secondary metabolites were also found, suggesting their potential use as alternatives to traditional antibiotics. In addition, the isolates were shown to enhance the host's immunity, aid in digesting complex feed ingredients, and possess genes for synthesizing vitamins and amino acids. This study provides valuable insights into these isolates and opens avenues for genetic manipulations to enhance their characteristics.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aisling Brady, Nuria Quiles-Puchalt, Francisca Gallego del Sol, Sara Zamora-Caballero, Alonso Felipe-Ruiz, Jorge Val-Calvo, Wilfried J. J. Meijer, Alberto Marina, Jose R. Penades
Summary: Some Bacillus-infecting bacteriophages utilize a peptide-based communication system, called arbitrium, to coordinate the lysis-lysogeny decision. AimR, a key player in this system, is involved in a complex network of regulation. The SP beta phage, possessing a functional arbitrium system, can optimize production of infective particles while preserving the number of surviving cells, which increases phage persistence in nature.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xuyang Zhu, Kang Zhang, Hui Luo, Jing Wu
Summary: The bottleneck of recombinant protein production in microbial cell factories is sometimes caused by limited manipulable targets and a lack of gene annotation related to protein expression. In this study, the novel functions of PonA in Bacillus subtilis recombinant protein expression were described, and the mechanism of its chaperone activity was analyzed. Overexpression of PonA led to a significant increase in the expression of hyperthermophilic amylase in shake flasks and fed-batch processes. Increased cell diameter and reinforced cell walls were observed in PonA-overexpressing strains. The FN3 structural domain and the natural dimeric structure of PonA may play critical roles in its chaperone activity. These findings suggest that PonA can be an effective target for modifying the expression of recombinant proteins in B. subtilis.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michaela Wenzel, Ilkay N. Celik Gulsoy, Yongqiang Gao, Zihao Teng, Joost Willemse, Martijn Middelkamp, Mariska G. M. van Rosmalen, Per W. B. Larsen, Nicole N. van der Wel, Gijs J. L. Wuite, Wouter H. Roos, Leendert W. Hamoen
Summary: Research has shown that SepF proteins can form large rings with diameters ranging from 19 to 44 nanometers, which are correlated with the thickness of bacterial septa. Expressing SepF chimeras with different diameters in Bacillus subtilis can change the thickness of septa accordingly, indicating that the diameter of SepF protein ring determines septal thickness.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yusei Nakaya, Miu Uchiike, Mayuko Hattori, Momoka Moriyama, Kimihiro Abe, Ella Kim, Patrick Eichenberger, Daisuke Imamura, Tsutomu Sato
Summary: The Bacillus subtilis spore consists of a core with chromosomal DNA, a cortex layer of peptidoglycan, and a coat composed of proteinaceous layers. A polysaccharide layer is added to the spore surface, likely anchored to the outermost coat layer. The identity of the coat protein(s) to which the spore polysaccharides (SPS) are attached is uncertain.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah Gingichashvili, Doron Steinberg, Ronit Vogt Sionov, Osnat Feuerstein, Noa E. Cohen
Summary: In this study, computational analytics were used to quantify the morphological response of Bacillus subtilis to the proximity of an antimicrobial source. The results revealed that the inner core, characterized by wrinkled formations, is more preserved compared to the periphery. Additionally, a crescent-shaped colony morphology and changes in the growth substrate of macrocolonies exposed to the antimicrobial were observed.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jeanine Rismondo, Lisa M. Schulz, Maria Yacoub, Ashima Wadhawan, Michael Hoppert, Marc S. Dionne, Angelika Gruendling
Summary: The ABC transporter EslABC is associated with the intrinsic lysozyme resistance of Listeria monocytogenes. The deletion of EslB not only affects lysozyme resistance, but also influences endogenous cell lysis, cell wall biosynthesis, cell division, and growth in media containing high concentrations of sugars. EslB is an important determinant for cell wall integrity in L. monocytogenes through a yet-unknown mechanism.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Delia Casas-Pastor, Raphael Rene Mueller, Sebastian Jaenicke, Karina Brinkrolf, Anke Becker, Mark Buttner, Carol Gross, Thorsten Mascher, Alexander Goesmann, Georg Fritz
Summary: Extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (ECFs) play a major role in bacterial signal transduction mechanisms, with our comprehensive phylogenetic analysis identifying numerous new ECF groups and expanding classification efforts. This detailed description of the phylogenetic distribution of the ECF family will serve as a powerful tool for guiding future research in the field.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Aysha Kamran, Kathrin Sauter, Andreas Reimer, Theresa Wacker, Joachim Reitner, Michael Hoppert
Summary: The study investigated the structure and composition of microbial communities in ultrabasic serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif in Italy. Results indicate the importance of carbonate precipitation, the presence of alkaliphilic cyanobacterial communities, and the distinct adaptation of cyanobacteria to these environments compared to creek water sediment.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Philipp F. Popp, Lena Friebel, Alhosna Benjdia, Alain Guillot, Olivier Berteau, Thorsten Mascher
Summary: The epeXEPAB locus of Bacillus subtilis encodes a biosynthetic pathway for the antimicrobial peptide EpeX, which is processed post-translationally by enzymes EpeE and EpeP. This locus is mainly distributed within the phylum Firmicutes, with the gene products targeting and perturbing the integrity of the cytoplasmic membrane. The regulation of epe expression involves the action of global regulators AbrB and Spo0A, which ensure a balanced immunity against mature EpeX.
MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geology
Giovanna Della Porta, Michael Hoppert, Christine Hallmann, Dominik Schneider, Joachim Reitner
Summary: The study investigated three active hydrothermal travertine sites in Central Italy to characterize carbonate precipitates and associated microbial mats under varying physico-chemical parameters. It was found that the type of carbonate precipitates and microbial mat composition varied with decreasing water temperature, indicating a complex interaction between physico-chemical processes and microbial communities in carbonate precipitation.
DEPOSITIONAL RECORD
(2022)
Article
Virology
Zhi Xu, Mahmoud E. Khalifa, Rebekah A. Frampton, Grant R. Smith, Rebecca L. McDougal, Robin M. MacDiarmid, Falk Kalamorz
Summary: A new dsRNA virus, named Phytophthora pluvialis RNA virus 1 (PplRV1), has been characterized from the oomycete Phytophthora pluvialis. The genome of PplRV1 encodes two predicted open reading frames (ORFs) with ORF2 showing high similarity to RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of other dsRNA viruses. Phylogenetic analysis suggests PplRV1 may belong to a new virus family. Geographical distribution analysis revealed two genotypes of PplRV1, a and b, with the second genotype having a conserved genetic organization. Additionally, a simple diagnostic method using qPCR has been developed for large-scale screening of PplRV1 in Phytophthora.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Qian Zhang, Carolin M. Kobras, Susanne Gebhard, Thorsten Mascher, Diana Wolf
Summary: In this study, the model organism B. subtilis W168 was successfully established as a novel platform for subtilin biosynthesis, and the underlying regulatory mechanism was comprehensively characterized. This work not only facilitates genetic (engineering) studies on subtilin, but also paves the way for its industrial production. Moreover, it sheds new light on the heterologous production of other lantibiotics.
MICROBIAL CELL FACTORIES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rebekah A. Frampton, Shea M. Addison, Falk Kalamorz, Grant R. Smith
Summary: After detecting potato mop-top virus (PMTV) in New Zealand in 2018, researchers assembled three nearly complete PMTV genomes from soil samples taken from potato fields. These genomes form a distinct lineage with limited genetic diversity within the PMTV species, suggesting a common origin. The presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism in a key diagnostic primer binding region has implications for the effectiveness of the current diagnostic protocol in New Zealand.
Article
Microbiology
Philipp F. Popp, Vadim M. Gumerov, Ekaterina P. Andrianova, Lisa Bewersdorf, Thorsten Mascher, Igor B. Zhulin, Diana Wolf, Laura A. Hug
Summary: Maintaining cell envelope integrity is crucial for microorganisms. The phage shock protein (Psp) stress response is a conserved protection network that connects stress perception, signal transduction, and cellular responses. This study reveals the distribution and diversity of Psp systems in various bacterial and archaeal phyla, and establishes a natural classification system for Psp networks based on protein domain analysis. The research highlights the importance of studying Psp functions in underrepresented organisms.
Article
Microbiology
Ainhoa Revilla-Guarinos, Philipp F. Popp, Franziska Durr, Tania Lozano-Cruz, Johanna Hartig, Francisco Javier de la Mata, Rafael Gomez, Thorsten Mascher
Summary: Over the past few decades, continuous exposure of bacteria to antibiotics has led to the widespread development of antimicrobial resistances. This study introduces BDTL049 as a promising novel antimicrobial agent, which has the ability to kill Gram-positive bacteria and potentially reduce the chances of bacterial resistances.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Philipp F. Popp, Tania Lozano-Cruz, Franziska Duerr, Addis Londaitsbehere, Johanna Hartig, Francisco Javier de la Mata, Rafael Gomez, Thorsten Mascher, Ainhoa Revilla-Guarinos
Summary: The threat of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is increasing, but the development of new therapeutic countermeasures has stopped. Carbosilane dendritic systems with antimicrobial properties can be used as synthetic molecules for therapeutics. The bow-tie topology of BDTL049 has strong bactericidal properties against Bacillus subtilis. In this study, a fluorescent-labeled version of BDTL049 was synthesized to study its interaction with bacterial membrane, and a mutational study of known resistance determinants was conducted. The compound also showed high cytotoxicity in human cells. These insights highlight the potential and challenges of BDTL049 as an antimicrobial agent.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Marcus Thierig, Jana Raupbach, Diana Wolf, Thorsten Mascher, Kannan Subramanian, Thomas Henle
Summary: Manuka honey exhibits unique antibacterial activity attributed to methylglyoxal (MGO). Studying the bacteriostatic effect of honey on Bacillus subtilis using an assay with continuous measurement, it was found that different honeys with equal MGO content show variations, indicating the presence of synergistic compounds. Model studies using artificial honey containing MGO and 3-phenyllactic acid (3-PLA) showed that high concentrations of 3-PLA enhance the bacteriostatic effect. The results highlight the role of 3-PLA and polyphenols in enhancing the antibacterial effect of MGO in manuka honey.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tobias M. Milzarek, Milena Stevanovic, Dusan Milivojevic, Sandra Vojnovic, Denis Iliasov, Diana Wolf, Thorsten Mascher, Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic, Tobias A. M. Gulder
Summary: This study established a compound library for the evaluation of ambigols and found that they possess exceptional antibiotic activity, especially against challenging clinical isolates.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)