Magnesium ions mitigate biofilm formation of Bacillus species via downregulation of matrix genes expression.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Mg(2+) ions on biofilm formation by Bacillus species, which are considered as problematic microorganisms in the food industry. We found that magnesium ions are capable to inhibit significantly biofilm formation of Bacillus species at 50 mM concentration and higher. We further report that Mg(2+) ions don't inhibit bacterial growth at elevated concentrations; hence, the mode of action of Mg(2+) ions is apparently specific to inhibition of biofilm formation. Biofilm formation depends on the synthesis of extracellular matrix, whose production in Bacillus subtilis is specified by two major operons: the epsA-O and tapA operons. We analyzed the effect of Mg(2+) ions on matrix gene expression using transcriptional fusions of the promoter

SUBMITTER: Oknin H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4561805 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature