Article
Microbiology
Kimihiro Abe, Masanori Toyofuku, Nobuhiko Nomura, Nozomu Obana
Summary: Bacillus subtilis releases membrane vesicles (MVs) under various stress conditions, with autolysins playing a key role in this process. The autolysis serves as a novel and prophage-independent pathway for MV production in B. subtilis. Exogenous purified MVs can effectively neutralize cell damage induced by surfactant treatment.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Xiwen Chen, Zheng Peng, Xiaomei Ji, Juan Zhang
Summary: By knocking out genes associated with cellular autolysis, the secretion capacity of keratinase in Bacillus subtilis was improved, and the activity of other proteases was also increased.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kexin Ren, Qiang Wang, Mengkai Hu, Yan Chen, Rufan Xing, Jiajia You, Meijuan Xu, Xian Zhang, Zhiming Rao
Summary: The paper analyzes the causes of autolysis in Bacillus subtilis and outlines various strategies to address the issue.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tatsuya Osamura, Fumikazu Takahashi, Keiji Endo, Mitsuyoshi Okuda, Yasushi Takimura
Summary: EstGtA2, an intracellular carboxylesterase from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans, can be industrially employed for the synthesis of high-purity monoacylglycerol (MAG) through the development of an affordable large-scale production system. We investigated the extracellular production of EstGtA2 using multiple-protease-deficient Bacillus subtilis strains and found that enhanced autolytic activity and suppression of degradation were effective in producing extracellular EstGtA2. Evaluation of EstGtA2 stability revealed the critical role of the proteinase AprE in its degradation. The productivity of culture supernatants of multiple-protease-deficient strains was comparable to that of the wild-type strain's cell-free extract.
BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
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
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
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
Microbiology
Andreia S. Fernandes, Antonio Pombinho, Celso M. Teixeira-Duarte, Joao H. Morais-Cabral, Carol A. Harley
Summary: The bacterial K+ homeostasis machinery is highly conserved and plays a crucial role in various cellular functions. Through a high-throughput screen, researchers identified multiple compounds that inhibited K+ flux, with one compound impacting cell viability. This study suggests that targeting components of the K+ homeostasis machinery may serve as a promising antibacterial strategy, highlighting the potential of fluorescence-based flux assays for chemical library screenings.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jessica L. Spears, Richard Kramer, Andrey Nikiforov, Marisa O. Rihner, Elizabeth A. Lambert
Summary: The safety and tolerability of the unique strain Bacillus subtilis MB40 was assessed through in silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies. The study confirmed the absence of undesirable genetic elements encoding toxins and antibiotic resistance, and found that MB40 was well tolerated in both rats and healthy human volunteers. Based on the research, it was concluded that Bacillus subtilis MB40 does not pose any human health concerns under the tested conditions.
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
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael A. DiCandia, Adrianne N. Edwards, Joshua B. Jones, Grace L. Swaim, Brooke D. Mills, Shonna M. McBride
Summary: The study reveals that Spo0A in Clostridioides difficile interacts with similar proteins as in Bacillus, despite the absence of corresponding proteins in the C. difficile genome. Mutation analysis shows that several conserved residues in Spo0A affect the sporulation ability of C. difficile. Furthermore, the phosphorylation site of Spo0A and its impact on activity are determined.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Shanshan Yang, Yuqiong Piao, Xinfei Li, Delun Mu, Shuaiqi Ji, Rina Wu, Junrui Wu
Summary: Thermosonication is a viable technique to replace conventional thermal processing and has been used to kill heat-resistant Bacillus and extend the shelf life of pasteurized milk. The study found that thermosonication treatment significantly reduced the number of Bacillus subtilis and improved the quality of milk. It also had an effect on cell membrane permeability and enzyme activities. The findings suggest that this new decontamination method can be implemented in the dairy industry to enhance the quality and shelf life of pasteurized milk.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Seunghyun Sim, Yue Hui, David A. Tirrell
Summary: The incorporation of living cells into materials presents both challenges and possibilities. In this study, a new class of 3D-printable materials based on poly(N-hydroxymethylacrylamide) is developed, which allows the cross-linking of spore-forming bacteria into a polymeric scaffold. These embedded cells and spores can become metabolically active and produce proteins after re-swelling in nutrient-rich media. The leak-free scaffold enables protein production while preventing cell escape. This research demonstrates the potential utility of living composite materials in various applications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhiwei Tu, Henk L. Dekker, Winfried Roseboom, Bhagyashree N. Swarge, Peter Setlow, Stanley Brul, Gertjan Kramer
Summary: The research investigated the proteome dynamics during sporulation of Bacillus subtilis vegetative cells under nutrient limitation. Protein co-expression analysis identified four modules, with brown and green modules being upregulated during sporulation containing proteins associated with sporulation, while blue module showed negative correlation and contained ribosomal and metabolic proteins. Besides known transcription regulons, some proteins co-expressed with brown and green modules may also play roles during sporulation. Levels of some coat proteins decreased late in sporulation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ida Szmigiel, Dorota Kwiatkowska, Marcin Lukaszewicz, Anna Krasowska
Summary: This study found that using xylan and its derivatives from plant hemicellulose as substrates can promote efficient biosurfactant production by Bacillus subtilis, providing a new approach for the reutilization of agricultural residues.