Dataset Information

Transcriptome divergence and the loss of plasticity in Bacillus subtilis after 6,000 generations of evolution under relaxed selection for sporulation.

ABSTRACT: We used microarrays to identify the causes of sporulation deficiencies in Bacillus subtilis after 6,000 generations of evolution. We found that sporulation loss did not result from large-scale deletions; therefore, it must have resulted from smaller indels and/or substitutions. Transcription patterns of one strain versus its ancestor showed that sporulation was not initiated and suggested that sporulation loss may be part of an overall decline in plasticity.

SUBMITTER: Maughan H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2612453 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Transcriptome divergence and the loss of plasticity in Bacillus subtilis after 6,000 generations of evolution under relaxed selection for sporulation.

Maughan Heather H Birky C William CW Nicholson Wayne L WL

Journal of bacteriology 20081024 1

We used microarrays to identify the causes of sporulation deficiencies in Bacillus subtilis after 6,000 generations of evolution. We found that sporulation loss did not result from large-scale deletions; therefore, it must have resulted from smaller indels and/or substitutions. Transcription patterns of one strain versus its ancestor showed that sporulation was not initiated and suggested that sporulation loss may be part of an overall decline in plasticity. ...[more]

PMID: 18952793

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Project description:In microbial communities, bacteria chemically and physically interact with one another. Some of these interactions are mediated by secreted specialized metabolites that act as either intraspecies or interspecies signals to alter gene expression and to change cell physiology. Bacillus subtilis is a well-characterized soil microbe that can differentiate into multiple cell types, including metabolically dormant endospores. We were interested in identifying microbial interactions that affected sporulation in B. subtilis Using a fluorescent transcriptional reporter, we observed that coculturing B. subtilis with Escherichia coli promoted sporulation gene expression via a secreted metabolite. To identify the active compound, we screened the E. coli Keio Collection and identified the sporulation-accelerating cue as the siderophore enterobactin. B. subtilis has multiple iron acquisition systems that are used to take up the B. subtilis-produced siderophore bacillibactin, as well as to pirate exogenous siderophores such as enterobactin. While B. subtilis uses a single substrate binding protein (FeuA) to take up both bacillibactin and enterobactin, we discovered that it requires two distinct genes to sporulate in response to these siderophores (the esterase gene besA for bacillibactin and a putative esterase gene, ybbA, for enterobactin). In addition, we found that siderophores from a variety of other microbial species also promote sporulation in B. subtilis Our results thus demonstrate that siderophores can act not only as bacterial iron acquisition systems but also as interspecies cues that alter cellular development and accelerate sporulation in B. subtilisIMPORTANCE While much is known about the genetic regulation of Bacillus subtilis sporulation, little is understood about how other bacteria influence this process. This work describes an interaction between Escherichia coli and B. subtilis that accelerates sporulation in B. subtilis The interaction is mediated by the E. coli siderophore enterobactin; we show that other species' siderophores also promote sporulation gene expression in B. subtilis These results suggest that siderophores not only may supply bacteria with the mineral nutrient iron but also may play a role in bacterial interspecies signaling, providing a cue for sporulation. Siderophores are produced by many bacterial species and thus potentially play important roles in altering bacterial cell physiology in diverse environments.

Dataset Information

Transcriptome divergence and the loss of plasticity in Bacillus subtilis after 6,000 generations of evolution under relaxed selection for sporulation.

Publications

Transcriptome divergence and the loss of plasticity in Bacillus subtilis after 6,000 generations of evolution under relaxed selection for sporulation.

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