Bacillus subtilis utilizes the DNA damage response to manage multicellular development.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria switch between free-living and a multicellular state, known as biofilms, in response to cellular and environmental cues. It is important to understand how these cues influence biofilm development as biofilms are not only ubiquitous in nature but are also causative agents of infectious diseases. It is often believed that any stress triggers biofilm formation as a means of bacterial protection. In this study, we propose a new mechanism for how cellular and environmental DNA damage may influence biofilm formation. We demonstrate that Bacillus subtilis prevents biofilm formation and cell differentiation when stressed by oxidative DNA damage. We show that during B. subtilis biofilm development, a subpopulation of cells accumulates reactive oxygen species, which triggers t

SUBMITTER: Gozzi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5445613 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature