Bacillus subtilis Modulates Its Usage of Biofilm-Bound Iron in Response to Environmental Iron Availability.

ABSTRACT: Iron (Fe) is one of the most important micronutrients for most life forms on earth. While abundant in soil, Fe bioavailability in oxic soil is very low. Under environmental conditions, bacteria need to acquire sufficient Fe to sustain growth while limiting the energy cost of siderophore synthesis. Biofilm formation might mitigate this Fe stress, since it was shown to accumulate Fe in certain Gram-negative bacteria and that this Fe could be mobilized for uptake. However, it is still unclear if, and to what extent, the amount of Fe accumulated in the biofilm can sustain growth and if the mobilization of this local Fe pool is modulated by the availability of environmental Fe (i.e., Fe outside the biofilm matrix). Here, we use a nondomesticated strain of the ubiquitous biofilm-forming soil bac

SUBMITTER: Rizzi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7642075 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature