Project description:The objective of the study was to uncover the developmental dynamics in Bacillus subtilis biofilms on a transcriptome level. The experiment covered a developmental timeline over two months of biofilm growth.
Project description:Investigation of the kinetics of whole genome gene expression level changes in Bacillus subtilis NDmed strain during formation of submerged biofilm and pellicle. The Bacillus subtilis NDmed strain analyzed in this study is able to form thick and highly structured submerged biofilms as described in Bridier et al., (2011) The Spatial Architecture of Bacillus subtilis Biofilms Deciphered Using a Surface-Associated Model and In Situ Imaging. PLoS ONE 6(1):e16177.
Project description:The polyamine spermidine is not required for normal planktonic growth of Bacillus subtilis but is essential for robust biofilm formation. In a spermidine-deficient mutant of B. subtilis, the structural analogue norspermidine but not homospermidine restored biofilm formation. Intracellular biosynthesis of another spermidine analogue aminopropylcadaverine from exogenously supplied homoagmatine also restored biofilm formation. The differential ability of C-methylated spermidine analogues to replace the function of spermidine in biofilm formation indicated that the aminopropyl side of spermidine is more sensitive to C-methylation. Together, these data indicate that the aminopropyl side of spermidine is essential for its function in biofilm formation, and that the length and symmetry of the molecule is not critical. Transcriptomic analysis of a spermidine-depleted speD mutant of B. subtilis uncovered a nitrogen, methionine and S-adenosylmethionine sufficiency response, resulting in repression of gene expression related to purine catabolism, methionine and S-adenosylmethionine biosynthesis, methionine salvage, and there were indications that membrane status was altered. Consistent with the requirement for spermidine in biofilm formation, expression of the operons for production of the exopolysaccharide and TasA protein components of the biofilm matrix was reduced, as was expression of regulator SinR antagonist slrR. Single-cell analysis indicated that the effect of spermidine depletion was to decrease the number of cells expressing the biofilm matrix operons. Deletion of sinR or ectopic expression of slrR in the spermidine-deficient ΔspeD background restored biofilm formation, indicating that spermidine is required to promote expression of the biofilm regulator slrR.
Project description:Identification of the specific WalR (YycF) binding regions on the B. subtilis chromosome during exponential and phosphate starvation growth phases. The data serves to extend the WalRK regulon in Bacillus subtilis and its role in cell wall metabolism, as well as implying a role in several other cellular processes.
Project description:Cyclic di-AMP is an essential second messenger in many Gram-positive bacteria, including the model organism Bacillus subtilis. Here, we analyzed the transcriptome of a strain accumulating c-di-AMP in vivo. Our results demonstrate that accumulation of c-di-AMP affects the expression of several hundred genes, among them many mother-cell specific sporulation genes. Additionally, the two major biofilm operons, epsA-O and tapA-sipW-tasA, are affected. High levels of c-di-AMP abolish transcription of genes responsible for biofilm formation which in turn leads to a defect in complex colony formation in B. subtilis.
Project description:RNA processing and degradation is initiated by endonucleolytic cleavage of the target RNAs. In many bacteria, this activity is performed by RNase E which is not present in Bacillus subtilis and other Gram-positive bacteria. Recently, the essential endoribonuclease RNase Y has been discovered in B. subtilis. This RNase is involved in the degradation of bulk mRNA suggesting a major role in mRNA metabolism. However, only a few targets of RNase Y have been identified so far. In order to assess the global impact of RNase Y, we compared the transcriptomes of strains expressing RNase Y or depleted for RNase Y. Our results indicate that processing by RNase Y results in accumulation of about 80 mRNAs. Some of these targets were substantially stabilized by RNase Y depletion, resulting in half-lives in the range of an hour. Moreover, about 40 mRNAs were less abundant when RNase Y was depleted among them the mRNAs of the operons required for biofilm formation. Interestingly, overexpression of RNase Y was sufficient to induce biofilm formation. The results emphasize the importance of RNase Y for B. subtilis and are in support of the idea that RNase Y is the functional equivalent of RNase E.
Project description:The natural biotope of Bacillus subtilis is the upper layer of soil where it grows as a biofilm. To mimic this physiological development and study the impact of nanoparticles during the formation of a biofilm in a contaminated soil, we have studied the proteomic response of the ancestral strain Bacillus subtilis 3610, which is able to form biofilm contrary to the 168 laboratory strain. The bacteria were grown on soft agar plates containing n-ZnO, n-TiO2 or ZnSO4 metal ion.
Project description:Bacillus subtilis has been extensively used as a model for molecular studies on biofilm formation. These studies encompassed the development of complex macro-colonies on agar, the formation of pellicles at the air-liquid interface, and lately the formation of submerged architectural biofilms at the solid-liquid interface. Beside similarities, these multicellular communities also display considerable heterogeneity at the structural, chemical and biological levels. Here we use RNA-seq to analyze nine different spatio-physiological conditions, including the three biofilm populations (colony, pellicle, and submerged).
Project description:Biofilms are structured communities of tightly associated cells that constitute the predominant state of bacterial growth in natural and human-made environments. Although the core genetic circuitry that controls biofilm formation in model bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis has been well characterized, little is known about the role that metabolism plays in this complex developmental process. Here, we performed a time-resolved analysis of the metabolic changes associated with pellicle biofilm formation and development in B. subtilis by combining metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses. We report a surprisingly widespread and dynamic remodeling of metabolism affecting central carbon metabolism, primary biosynthetic pathways, fermentation pathways, and secondary metabolism. Most of these metabolic alterations were hitherto unrecognized as biofilm-associated. For example, we observed increased activity of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during early biofilm growth, a shift from fatty acid biosynthesis to fatty acid degradation, reorganization of iron metabolism and transport, and a switch from acetate to acetoin fermentation. Close agreement between metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic measurements indicated that remodeling of metabolism during biofilm development was largely controlled at the transcriptional level. Our results also provide insights into the transcription factors and regulatory networks involved in this complex metabolic remodeling. Following these results, we demonstrate that acetoin production via acetolactate synthase is essential for robust biofilm growth and has the dual role of conserving redox balance and maintaining extracellular pH. This study represents a comprehensive systems-level investigation of the metabolic remodeling occurring during B. subtilis biofilm development that will serve as a useful roadmap for future studies on biofilm physiology.