Rap Protein Paralogs of Bacillus thuringiensis: a Multifunctional and Redundant Regulatory Repertoire for the Control of Collective Functions.

ABSTRACT: Quorum sensing (QS) is a mechanism of synthesis and detection of signaling molecules to regulate gene expression and coordinate behaviors in bacterial populations. In Bacillus subtilis, multiple paralog Rap-Phr QS systems (receptor-signaling peptides) are highly redundant and multifunctional, interconnecting the regulation of differentiation processes such as sporulation and competence. However, their functions in the Bacillus cereus group are largely unknown. We evaluated the functions of Rap proteins in Bacillus thuringiensis Bt8741, which codes for eight Rap-Phr systems; these were individually overexpressed to study their participation in sporulation, biofilm formation, spreading, and extracellular proteolytic activity. Our results show that four Rap-Phr systems (R

SUBMITTER: Gastelum G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7043668 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature