Cannibalism stress response in Bacillus subtilis

Höfler, Carolin; Heckmann, Judith; Fritsch, Anne; Gebhard, Susanne; Fritz, Georg; Mascher, Thorsten

doi:10.1099/mic.0.000176

Cited by 30 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…This is particularly clear for endospore-formation, a notably energy-demanding process (Höfler et al, 2016) that leads to the formation of a resistance structure. EFF have been used as models to investigate the cost of relative simple phenotypes (e.g., maintenance of simple biosynthetic pathways; Maughan et al, 2007), as well as more complex ones, such as spore development (Callahan et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Combination of Extreme Environmental Conditions Favor the Prevalence of Endospore-Forming Firmicutes

et al. 2016

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Environmental conditions unsuitable for microbial growth are the rule rather than the exception in most habitats. In response to this, microorganisms have developed various strategies to withstand environmental conditions that limit active growth. Endospore-forming Firmicutes (EFF) deploy a myriad of survival strategies in order to resist adverse conditions. Like many bacterial groups, they can form biofilms and detect nutrient scarcity through chemotaxis. Moreover, within this paraphyletic group of Firmicutes, ecophysiological optima are diverse. Nonetheless, a response to adversity that delimits this group is the formation of wet-heat resistant spores. These strategies are energetically demanding and therefore might affect the biological success of EFF. Therefore, we hypothesize that abundance and diversity of EFF should be maximized in those environments in which the benefits of these survival strategies offsets the energetic cost. In order to address this hypothesis, geothermal and mineral springs and drillings were selected because in these environments of steep physicochemical gradients, diversified survival strategies may become a successful strategy.We collected 71 samples from geothermal and mineral environments characterized by none (null), single or multiple limiting environmental factors (temperature, pH, UV radiation, and specific mineral composition). To measure success, we quantified EFF gene copy numbers (GCN; spo0A gene) in relation to total bacterial GCN (16S rRNA gene), as well as the contribution of EFF to community composition. The quantification showed that relative GCN for EFF reached up to 20% at sites characterized by multiple limiting environmental factors, whereas it corresponded to less than 1% at sites with one or no limiting environmental factor. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene supports a higher contribution of EFF at sites with multiple limiting factors. Community composition suggested a combination of phylotypes for which active growth could be expected, and phylotypes that are most likely in the state of endospores, in all the sites. In summary, our results suggest that diversified survival strategies, including sporulation and metabolic adaptations, explain the biological success of EFF in geothermal and natural springs, and that multiple extreme environmental factors favor the prevalence of EFF.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Combination of Extreme Environmental Conditions Favor the Prevalence of Endospore-Forming Firmicutes

et al. 2016

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“…However, despite the depletion of the measured overflow metabolites at the end of cultivation, an OTR of 6 mmol·L −1 ·h −1 is measurable ( Figure 3a). The respiratory activity indicates the consumption of undetected overflow metabolites, storage compounds or of nutrients deriving from lysed cells (Gebhard et al, 2016;Gonzalez-Pastor, 2003). In summary, glucose starvation causes completely undefined conditions in terms of nutrient availability.…”

Section: Batch Cultivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introducing substrate limitations to overcome catabolite repression in a protease producing Bacillus licheniformis strain using membrane‐based fed‐batch shake flasks

Habicher

John

Scholl

et al. 2019

Biotech & Bioengineering

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To overcome catabolite repression, industrial fermentation processes are usually operated in substrate-limited fed-batch mode. Therefore, the implementation of such an operating mode at small scale is crucial to maintain comparable process conditions. In this study, Bacillus licheniformis, a well-known producer of proteases, was cultivated with carbon (glucose)-and nitrogen (ammonium)-limited fed-batch conditions using the previously introduced membrane-based fed-batch shake flasks. A repression of protease production by glucose and ammonium was thus avoided and yields increased 1.5-and 2.1-fold relative to batch, respectively. An elevated feeding rate of glucose caused depletion of ammonium, which was recognizable within the oxygen transfer rate (OTR)signal measured with the Respiration Activity MOnitoring System (RAMOS). Ammonium limitation was prevented by feeding ammonium simultaneously with glucose. The OTR signal clearly indicated the initiation of the fed-batch phase and gave direct feedback on the nutrient release kinetics. Increased feeding rates of glucose and ammonium led to an elevated protease activity without affecting the protease yield (Y P/Glu ). In addition to Y P/Glu , protease yields were determined based on the metabolized amount of oxygenThe results showed that the protease production correlated with the amount of consumed glucose as well as with the amount of consumed oxygen. The membranebased fed-batch shake flask in combination with the RAMOS device is a powerful combination to investigate the effect of substrate-limited fed-batch conditions. K E Y W O R D SBacillus licheniformis, catabolite repression, fed-batch, membrane-based fed-batch shake flask, proteases

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“…In a recent report, it was demonstrated that the Bce and Psd system strongly respond to both cannibalism toxins (Höfler et al 2016). In liquid cultures, SKF seems to be the predominant stimulus, but SDP also contributes to the overall response (Höfler et al 2016). Likewise, the Lia system seems to be induced by yet another poorly characterized AMP encoded by the yydF gene (Butcher et al 2007).…”

Section: Extrinsic Amp Challenge Versus Intrinsic Amp Productionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Their death releases nutrients that allow the cannibal subpopulation to overcome temporary phases of starvation without the need to sporulate (Gonzalez-Pastor 2011). In a recent report, it was demonstrated that the Bce and Psd system strongly respond to both cannibalism toxins (Höfler et al 2016). In liquid cultures, SKF seems to be the predominant stimulus, but SDP also contributes to the overall response (Höfler et al 2016).…”

Section: Extrinsic Amp Challenge Versus Intrinsic Amp Productionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The cell envelope stress response of Bacillus subtilis: from static signaling devices to dynamic regulatory network

2016

Self Cite

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The cell envelope stress response (CESR) encompasses all regulatory events that enable a cell to protect the integrity of its envelope, an essential structure of any bacterial cell. The underlying signaling network is particularly well understood in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis. It consists of a number of two-component systems (2CS) and extracytoplasmic function σ factors that together regulate the production of both specific resistance determinants and general mechanisms to protect the envelope against antimicrobial peptides targeting the biogenesis of the cell wall. Here, we summarize the current picture of the B. subtilis CESR network, from the initial identification of the corresponding signaling devices to unraveling their interdependence and the underlying regulatory hierarchy within the network. In the course of detailed mechanistic studies, a number of novel signaling features could be described for the 2CSs involved in mediating CESR. This includes a novel class of so-called intramembrane-sensing histidine kinases (IM-HKs), which-instead of acting as stress sensors themselves-are activated via interprotein signal transfer. Some of these IM-HKs are involved in sensing the flux of antibiotic resistance transporters, a unique mechanism of responding to extracellular antibiotic challenge.

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Cannibalism stress response in Bacillus subtilis

Cited by 30 publications

References 36 publications

A Combination of Extreme Environmental Conditions Favor the Prevalence of Endospore-Forming Firmicutes

A Combination of Extreme Environmental Conditions Favor the Prevalence of Endospore-Forming Firmicutes

Introducing substrate limitations to overcome catabolite repression in a protease producing Bacillus licheniformis strain using membrane‐based fed‐batch shake flasks

The cell envelope stress response of Bacillus subtilis: from static signaling devices to dynamic regulatory network

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