Resistance to serine in Bacillus subtilis: identification of the serine transporter YbeC and of a metabolic network that links serine and threonine metabolism.

ABSTRACT: The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis uses serine not only as a building block for proteins but also as an important precursor in many anabolic reactions. Moreover, a lack of serine results in the initiation of biofilm formation. However, excess serine inhibits the growth of B. subtilis. To unravel the underlying mechanisms, we isolated suppressor mutants that can tolerate toxic serine concentrations by three targeted and non-targeted genome-wide screens. All screens as well as genetic complementation in Escherichia coli identified the so far uncharacterized permease YbeC as the major serine transporter of B. subtilis. In addition to YbeC, the threonine transporters BcaP and YbxG make minor contributions to serine uptake. A strain lacking these three transporters was able to tolera

SUBMITTER: Klewing A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8226366 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature