A mechanism for cell cycle regulation of sporulation initiation in Bacillus subtilis

Surfactin accelerates Bacillus subtilis pellicle biofilm development

Surfactin is a biosurfactant produced by many B. subtilis strains with a wide variety of functions from lowering surface tension to allowing motility of bacterial swarms, acting as a signaling molecule, and even exhibiting antimicrobial activities. However, the impact of surfactin during biofilm formation has been debated with variable findings between studies depending on the experimental conditions. B. subtilis is known to form biofilms at the solid-air, the solid-medium, and the liquid-air interfaces, the latter of which is known as a pellicle biofilm. Pellicle formation is a complex process requiring coordinated movement to the liquid-air interface and subsequent cooperative production of biofilm matrix components to allow robust pellicle biofilm formation. This makes pellicle formation a promising model system for assaying factors in biofilm formation and regulation. Here, we assayed the influence of surfactin and additional metabolites on the timing of pellicle biofilm formation. Using time-lapse imaging, we assayed pellicle formation timing in 12 B. subtilis isolates and found that one, MB9_B4, was significantly delayed in pellicle formation by approximately 10 h. MB9_B4 was previously noted to lack robust surfactin production. Indeed, deletion of surfactin synthesis in the other isolates delayed pellicle formation. Further, pellicle delay was rescued by addition of exogeneous surfactin. Testing reporters of biofilm-related gene expression revealed that induction of pellicle formation was caused by a combination of increased gene expression of one of the biofilm components and promotion of growth.

A novel regulation on the developmental checkpoint protein Sda that controls sporulation and biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis

Biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis is triggered by an unusually simple environmental sensing mechanism. Certain serine codons, the four TCN codons (N for A, T, C, or G), in the gene for the biofilm repressor SinR caused lowered SinR translation and subsequent biofilm induction during transition from exponential to stationary growth. Global ribosome profiling showed that ribosomes pause when translating the four UCN (U for T on the mRNA) serine codons on mRNA, but not the two AGC/AGU serine codons. We proposed a serine codon hierarchy (AGC/AGT vs TCN) in that genes enriched in the TCN serine codons may experience reduced translation efficiency when serine is limited. In this study, we designed an algorithm to score all protein-coding genes in B. subtilis NCIB3610 based on the serine codon hierarchy. We generated a short list of 50 genes that could be subject to regulation by this novel mechanism. We further investigated one such gene from the list, sda, which encodes a developmental checkpoint protein regulating both sporulation and biofilm formation. We showed that synonymously switching the TCN serine codons to AGC in sda led to delayed biofilm formation and sporulation. This engineered strain also outgrew strains with other synonymously substituted sda alleles (TCN) in competition assays for biofilm formation and sporulation. Finally, we showed that the AGC serine codon substitutions in sda elevated the Sda protein levels. This serine codon hierarchy-based novel signaling mechanism could be exploited by bacteria in adapting to stationary phase and regulating important biological processes.

IMPORTANCE

Genome-wide ribosome profiling in Bacillus subtilis shows that under serine limitation, ribosomes pause on the four TCN (N for A, C, G, and T), but not AGC/AGT serine codons, during translation at a global scale. This serine codon hierarchy (AGC/T vs TCN) differentially influences the translation efficiency of genes enriched in certain serine codons. In this study, we designed an algorithm to score all 4,000+ genes in the B. subtilis genome and generated a list of 50 genes that could be subject to this novel serine codon hierarchy-mediated regulation. We further investigated one such gene, sda, encoding a developmental checkpoint protein. We show that sda and cell developments controlled by Sda are also regulated by this novel mechanism.

Bacillus subtilis stress-associated mutagenesis and developmental DNA repair

SUMMARYThe metabolic conditions that prevail during bacterial growth have evolved with the faithful operation of repair systems that recognize and eliminate DNA lesions caused by intracellular and exogenous agents. This idea is supported by the low rate of spontaneous mutations (10-9) that occur in replicating cells, maintaining genome integrity. In contrast, when growth and/or replication cease, bacteria frequently process DNA lesions in an error-prone manner. DNA repairs provide cells with the tools needed for maintaining homeostasis during stressful conditions and depend on the developmental context in which repair events occur. Thus, different physiological scenarios can be anticipated. In nutritionally stressed bacteria, different components of the base excision repair pathway may process damaged DNA in an error-prone approach, promoting genetic variability. Interestingly, suppressing the mismatch repair machinery and activating specific DNA glycosylases promote stationary-phase mutations. Current evidence also suggests that in resting cells, coupling repair processes to actively transcribed genes may promote multiple genetic transactions that are advantageous for stressed cells. DNA repair during sporulation is of interest as a model to understand how transcriptional processes influence the formation of mutations in conditions where replication is halted. Current reports indicate that transcriptional coupling repair-dependent and -independent processes operate in differentiating cells to process spontaneous and induced DNA damage and that error-prone synthesis of DNA is involved in these events. These and other noncanonical ways of DNA repair that contribute to mutagenesis, survival, and evolution are reviewed in this manuscript.

Attempts to limit sporulation in the probiotic strain Bacillus subtilis BG01-4TM through mutation accumulation and selection

The use of bacterial spores in probiotics over viable loads of bacteria has many advantages, including the durability of spores, which allows spore-based probiotics to effectively traverse the various biochemical barriers present in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the majority of spore-based probiotics developed currently aim to treat adults, and there is a litany of differences between the adult and infant intestinal systems, including the immaturity and low microbial species diversity observed within the intestines of infants. These differences are only further exacerbated in premature infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and indicates that what may be appropriate for an adult or even a healthy full-term infant may not be suited for an unhealthy premature infant. Complications from using spore-based probiotics for premature infants with NEC may involve the spores remaining dormant and adhering to the intestinal epithelia, the out-competing of commensal bacteria by spores, and most importantly the innate antibiotic resistance of spores. Also, the ability of Bacillus subtilis to produce spores under duress may result in less B. subtilis perishing within the intestines and releasing membrane branched-chain fatty acids. The isolate B. subtilis BG01-4^TM is a proprietary strain developed by Vernx Biotechnology through accumulating mutations within the BG01-4^TM genome in a serial batch culture. Strain BG01-4^TM was provided as a non-spore-forming B. subtilis , but a positive sporulation status for BG01-4^TM was confirmed through in vitro testing and suggested that selection for the sporulation defective genes could occur within an environment that would select against sporulation. The durability of key sporulation genes was ratified in this study, as the ability of BG01-4^TM to produce spores was not eliminated by the attempts to select against sporulation genes in BG01-4^TM by the epigenetic factors of high glucose and low pH. However, a variation in the genes in isolate BG01-4-8 involved in the regulation of sporulation is believed to have occurred during the mutation selection from the parent strain BG01-4^TM. An alteration in selected sporulation regulation genes is expected to have occurred from BG01-4^TM to BG01-4-8, with BG01-4-8 producing spores within 24 h, ~48 h quicker than BG01-4^TM.

A new role for monomeric ParA/Soj in chromosome dynamics in Bacillus subtilis

ParABS (Soj-Spo0J) systems were initially implicated in plasmid and chromosome segregation in bacteria. However, it is now increasingly understood that they play multiple roles in cell cycle events in Bacillus subtilis, and possibly other bacteria. In a recent study, monomeric forms of ParA/Soj have been implicated in regulating aspects of chromosome dynamics during B. subtilis sporulation. In this commentary, I will discuss the known roles of ParABS systems, explore why sporulation is a valuable model for studying these proteins, and the new insights into the role of monomeric ParA/Soj. Finally, I will touch upon some of the future work that remains.

Unique relationships between phages and endospore-forming hosts

As part of their survival strategy under harsh environmental conditions, endospore-forming bacteria can trigger a sporulation developmental program. Although the regulatory cascades that precisely control the transformation of vegetative bacteria into mother cells and resilient spores have been described in detail, less is known about how bacteriophages that prey on endospore-formers exploit sporulation. Herein, we argue that phages infecting these bacteria have evolved several specific molecular mechanisms, not yet known in other bacteria, that manifest from the phage-driven alliance to negative effects on the host. We anticipate that the relationships between phages and endospore-formers outlined here will inspire studies on phage ecology and evolution, and could facilitate important advances in the development of phage therapies against pathogenic spore-formers.

Prophage-encoded small protein YqaH counteracts the activities of the replication initiator DnaA in Bacillus subtilis

Bacterial genomes harbour cryptic prophages that are mostly transcriptionally silent with many unannotated genes. Still, cryptic prophages may contribute to their host fitness and phenotypes. In Bacillus subtilis, the yqaF-yqaN operon belongs to the prophage element skin, and is tightly repressed by the Xre-like repressor SknR. This operon contains several small ORFs (smORFs) potentially encoding small-sized proteins. The smORF-encoded peptide YqaH was previously reported to bind to the replication initiator DnaA. Here, using a yeast two-hybrid assay, we found that YqaH binds to the DNA binding domain IV of DnaA and interacts with Spo0A, a master regulator of sporulation. We isolated single amino acid substitutions in YqaH that abolished the interaction with DnaA but not with Spo0A. Then, using a plasmid-based inducible system to overexpress yqaH WT and mutant derivatives, we studied in B. subtilis the phenotypes associated with the specific loss-of-interaction with DnaA (DnaA_LOI). We found that expression of yqaH carrying DnaA_LOI mutations abolished the deleterious effects of yqaH WT expression on chromosome segregation, replication initiation and DnaA-regulated transcription. When YqaH was induced after vegetative growth, DnaA_LOI mutations abolished the drastic effects of YqaH WT on sporulation and biofilm formation. Thus, YqaH inhibits replication, sporulation and biofilm formation mainly by antagonizing DnaA in a manner that is independent of the cell cycle checkpoint Sda.

Chromosome remodelling by SMC/Condensin in B. subtilis is regulated by monomeric Soj/ParA during growth and sporulation

SMC complexes, loaded at ParB-parS sites, are key mediators of chromosome organization in bacteria. ParA/Soj proteins interact with ParB/Spo0J in a pathway involving adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent dimerization and DNA binding, facilitating chromosome segregation in bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis, ParA/Soj also regulates DNA replication initiation and along with ParB/Spo0J is involved in cell cycle changes during endospore formation. The first morphological stage in sporulation is the formation of an elongated chromosome structure called an axial filament. Here, we show that a major redistribution of SMC complexes drives axial filament formation in a process regulated by ParA/Soj. Furthermore, and unexpectedly, this regulation is dependent on monomeric forms of ParA/Soj that cannot bind DNA or hydrolyze ATP. These results reveal additional roles for ParA/Soj proteins in the regulation of SMC dynamics in bacteria and yet further complexity in the web of interactions involving chromosome replication, segregation and organization, controlled by ParAB and SMC.

Regulation of DNA replication initiation by ParA is independent of parS location in Bacillus subtilis

Replication and segregation of the genetic information is necessary for a cell to proliferate. In Bacillus subtilis, the Par system (ParA/Soj, ParB/Spo0J and parS) is required for segregation of the chromosome origin (oriC) region and for proper control of DNA replication initiation. ParB binds parS sites clustered near the origin of replication and assembles into sliding clamps that interact with ParA to drive origin segregation through a diffusion-ratchet mechanism. As part of this dynamic process, ParB stimulates ParA ATPase activity to trigger its switch from an ATP-bound dimer to an ADP-bound monomer. In addition to its conserved role in DNA segregation, ParA is also a regulator of the master DNA replication initiation protein DnaA. We hypothesized that in B. subtilis the location of the Par system proximal to oriC would be necessary for ParA to properly regulate DnaA. To test this model, we constructed a range of genetically modified strains with altered numbers and locations of parS sites, many of which perturbed chromosome origin segregation as expected. Contrary to our hypothesis, the results show that regulation of DNA replication initiation by ParA is maintained when a parS site is separated from oriC. Because a single parS site is sufficient for proper control of ParA, the results are consistent with a model where ParA is efficiently regulated by ParB sliding clamps following loading at parS.

Conservation and Evolution of the Sporulation Gene Set in Diverse Members of the Firmicutes

The current classification of the phylum Firmicutes (new name, Bacillota) features eight distinct classes, six of which include known spore-forming bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis, sporulation involves up to 500 genes, many of which do not have orthologs in other bacilli and/or clostridia. Previous studies identified about 60 sporulation genes of B. subtilis that were shared by all spore-forming members of the Firmicutes. These genes are referred to as the sporulation core or signature, although many of these are also found in genomes of nonsporeformers. Using an expanded set of 180 firmicute genomes from 160 genera, including 76 spore-forming species, we investigated the conservation of the sporulation genes, in particular seeking to identify lineages that lack some of the genes from the conserved sporulation core. The results of this analysis confirmed that many small acid-soluble spore proteins (SASPs), spore coat proteins, and germination proteins, which were previously characterized in bacilli, are missing in spore-forming members of Clostridia and other classes of Firmicutes. A particularly dramatic loss of sporulation genes was observed in the spore-forming members of the families Planococcaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae. Fifteen species from diverse lineages were found to carry skin (sigK-interrupting) elements of different sizes that all encoded SpoIVCA-like recombinases but did not share any other genes. Phylogenetic trees built from concatenated alignments of sporulation proteins and ribosomal proteins showed similar topology, indicating an early origin and subsequent vertical inheritance of the sporulation genes. IMPORTANCE Many members of the phylum Firmicutes (Bacillota) are capable of producing endospores, which enhance the survival of important Gram-positive pathogens that cause such diseases as anthrax, botulism, colitis, gas gangrene, and tetanus. We show that the core set of sporulation genes, defined previously through genome comparisons of several bacilli and clostridia, is conserved in a wide variety of sporeformers from several distinct lineages of Firmicutes. We also detected widespread loss of sporulation genes in many organisms, particularly within the families Planococcaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae. Members of these families, such as Lysinibacillus sphaericus and Clostridium innocuum, could be excellent model organisms for studying sporulation mechanisms, such as engulfment, formation of the spore coat, and spore germination.

Mechanisms and Applications of Bacterial Sporulation and Germination in the Intestine

Recent studies have suggested a major role for endospore forming bacteria within the gut microbiota, not only as pathogens but also as commensal and beneficial members contributing to gut homeostasis. In this review the sporulation processes, spore properties, and germination processes will be explained within the scope of the human gut. Within the gut, spore-forming bacteria are known to interact with the host’s immune system, both in vegetative cell and spore form. Together with the resistant nature of the spore, these characteristics offer potential for spores’ use as delivery vehicles for therapeutics. In the last part of the review, the therapeutic potential of spores as probiotics, vaccine vehicles, and drug delivery systems will be discussed.

Bacillus subtilis Histidine Kinase KinC Activates Biofilm Formation by Controlling Heterogeneity of Single-Cell Responses

In Bacillus subtilis, biofilm and sporulation pathways are both controlled by a master regulator, Spo0A, which is activated by phosphorylation via a phosphorelay-a cascade of phosphotransfer reactions commencing with autophosphorylation of histidine kinases KinA, KinB, KinC, KinD, and KinE. However, it is unclear how the kinases, despite acting via the same regulator, Spo0A, differentially regulate downstream pathways, i.e., how KinA mainly activates sporulation genes and KinC mainly activates biofilm genes. In this work, we found that KinC also downregulates sporulation genes, suggesting that KinC has a negative effect on Spo0A activity. To explain this effect, with a mathematical model of the phosphorelay, we revealed that unlike KinA, which always activates Spo0A, KinC has distinct effects on Spo0A at different growth stages: during fast growth, KinC acts as a phosphate source and activates Spo0A, whereas during slow growth, KinC becomes a phosphate sink and contributes to decreasing Spo0A activity. However, under these conditions, KinC can still increase the population-mean biofilm matrix production activity. In a population, individual cells grow at different rates, and KinC would increase the Spo0A activity in the fast-growing cells but reduce the Spo0A activity in the slow-growing cells. This mechanism reduces single-cell heterogeneity of Spo0A activity, thereby increasing the fraction of cells that activate biofilm matrix production. Thus, KinC activates biofilm formation by controlling the fraction of cells activating biofilm gene expression. IMPORTANCE In many bacterial and eukaryotic systems, multiple cell fate decisions are activated by a single master regulator. Typically, the activities of the regulators are controlled posttranslationally in response to different environmental stimuli. The mechanisms underlying the ability of these regulators to control multiple outcomes are not understood in many systems. By investigating the regulation of Bacillus subtilis master regulator Spo0A, we show that sensor kinases can use a novel mechanism to control cell fate decisions. By acting as a phosphate source or sink, kinases can interact with one another and provide accurate regulation of the phosphorylation level. Moreover, this mechanism affects the cell-to-cell heterogeneity of the transcription factor activity and eventually determines the fraction of different cell types in the population. These results demonstrate the importance of intercellular heterogeneity for understanding the effects of genetic perturbations on cell fate decisions. Such effects can be applicable to a wide range of cellular systems.

Bacterial developmental checkpoint that directly monitors cell surface morphogenesis

Bacillus subtilis spores are encased in two concentric shells: an outer proteinaceous "coat" and an inner peptidoglycan "cortex," separated by a membrane. Cortex assembly depends on coat assembly initiation, but how cells achieve this coordination across the membrane is unclear. Here, we report that the protein SpoVID monitors the polymerization state of the coat basement layer via an extension to a functional intracellular LysM domain that arrests sporulation when coat assembly is initiated improperly. Whereas extracellular LysM domains bind mature peptidoglycan, SpoVID LysM binds to the membrane-bound lipid II peptidoglycan precursor. We propose that improper coat assembly exposes the SpoVID LysM domain, which then sequesters lipid II and prevents cortex assembly. SpoVID defines a widespread group of firmicute proteins with a characteristic N-terminal domain and C-terminal peptidoglycan-binding domains that might combine coat and cortex assembly roles to mediate a developmental checkpoint linking the morphogenesis of two spatially separated supramolecular structures.

Relief of ParB autoinhibition by parS DNA catalysis and recycling of ParB by CTP hydrolysis promote bacterial centromere assembly

Three-component ParABS systems are widely distributed factors for plasmid partitioning and chromosome segregation in bacteria. ParB acts as adaptor protein between the 16–base pair centromeric parS DNA sequences and the DNA segregation proteins ParA and Smc (structural maintenance of chromosomes). Upon cytidine triphosphate (CTP) and parS DNA binding, ParB dimers form DNA clamps that spread onto parS-flanking DNA by sliding, thus assembling the so-called partition complex. We show here that CTP hydrolysis is essential for efficient chromosome segregation by ParABS but largely dispensable for Smc recruitment. Our results suggest that CTP hydrolysis contributes to partition complex assembly via two mechanisms. It promotes ParB unloading from DNA to limit the extent of ParB spreading, and it recycles off-target ParB clamps to allow for parS retargeting, together superconcentrating ParB near parS. We also propose a model for clamp closure involving a steric clash when binding ParB protomers to opposing parS half sites.

Epigallocatechin gallate and Lactobacillus plantarum culture supernatants exert bactericidal activity and reduce biofilm formation in Clostridium perfringens

Clostridium perfringens forms biofilms and spores that are a source of food contamination. In this study, the antibacterial activities of Lactobacillus plantarum culture supernatants (LP-S), LP-S fractions, and the plant-derived compound epigallocatechin gallate (EG) were evaluated. Specifically, their effects on the viability and biofilm-forming ability of C. perfringens were assessed. Moreover, the expression of quorum sensing-regulated genes associated with the pathogenesis of this microorganism and that of genes involved in biofilm formation was also investigated. The results showed that both EG and the LP-S exerted bactericidal activity against all C. perfringens strains tested. The minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of EG was 75 µg/mL for all strains but ranged from 61 to 121 µg of total protein per mL for LP-S. EG exerted only minor effects on biofilm formation, whereas LP-S, particularly its 10 and 30 K fractions, significantly reduced the biofilm-forming ability of all the strains. The antibiofilm activity of LP-S was lost following preincubation with proteases, suggesting that it was mediated by a proteinaceous molecule. The treatment of C. perfringens with either EG or LP-S did not change the transcript levels of two CpAL (C. perfringens quorum-sensing Agr-like system)-related genes, agrB and agrD, which are known to be involved in the regulation of biofilms, suggesting that LP-S exerted its biofilm inhibitory activity downstream of CpAL signaling. In summary, we demonstrated the bactericidal activity of EG and LP-S against C. perfringens and antibiofilm activity of LP-S at a subinhibitory dose. Our results suggested that these compounds can be further explored for food safety applications to control agents such as C. perfringens.

No endospore formation confirmed in members of the phylum Proteobacteria

Endospore formation is used by members of the phylum Firmicutes to withstand extreme environmental conditions. Several recent studies have proposed endospore formation in species outside of Firmicutes, particularly in Rhodobacter johrii and Serratia marcescens, members of the phylum Proteobacteria. Here, we aimed to investigate endospore formation in these two species by using advanced imaging and analytical approaches. Examination of the phase-bright structures observed in R. johrii and S. marcescens using cryo-electron tomography failed to identify endospores or stages of endospore formation. We determined that the phase-bright objects in R. johrii cells were triacylglycerol storage granules and those in S. marcescens were aggregates of cellular debris. In addition, R. johrii and S. marcescens containing phase-bright objects do not possess phenotypic and genetic features of endospores, including enhanced resistance to heat, presence of dipicolinic acid, or the presence of many of the genes associated with endospore formation. Our results support the hypothesis that endospore formation is restricted to the phylum Firmicutes.Importance: Bacterial endospore formation is an important process that allows the formation of dormant life forms called spores. As such, organisms able to sporulate can survive harsh environmental conditions for hundreds of years. Here, we follow up on previous claims that two members of Proteobacteria, Serratia marcescens and Rhodobacter johrii, are able to form spores. We conclude that those claims were incorrect and show that the putative spores in R. johrii and S. marcescens are storage granules and cellular debris, respectively. This study concludes that endospore formation is still unique to the phylum Firmicutes.

Transcriptional coupling and repair of 8-OxoG activate a RecA-dependent checkpoint that controls the onset of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

During sporulation Bacillus subtilis Mfd couples transcription to nucleotide excision repair (NER) to eliminate DNA distorting lesions. Here, we report a significant decline in sporulation following Mfd disruption, which was manifested in the absence of external DNA-damage suggesting that spontaneous lesions activate the function of Mfd for an efficient sporogenesis. Accordingly, a dramatic decline in sporulation efficiency took place in a B. subtilis strain lacking Mfd and the repair/prevention guanine oxidized (GO) system (hereafter, the ∆GO system), composed by YtkD, MutM and MutY. Furthermore, the simultaneous absence of Mfd and the GO system, (i) sensitized sporulating cells to H2O2, and (ii) elicited spontaneous and oxygen radical-induced rifampin-resistance (Rifr) mutagenesis. Epifluorescence (EF), confocal and transmission electron (TEM) microscopy analyses, showed a decreased ability of ∆GO ∆mfd strain to sporulate and to develop the typical morphologies of sporulating cells. Remarkably, disruption of sda, sirA and disA partially, restored the sporulation efficiency of the strain deficient for Mfd and the ∆GO system; complete restoration occurred in the RecA- background. Overall, our results unveil a novel Mfd mechanism of transcription-coupled-repair (TCR) elicited by 8-OxoG which converges in the activation of a RecA-dependent checkpoint event that control the onset of sporulation in B. subtilis.

Effects of temperature, pH and water activity on the growth and the sporulation abilities of Bacillus subtilis BSB1

Spore-forming bacteria are implicated in cases of food spoilage or food poisoning. In their sporulated form, they are resistant to physical and chemical treatments applied in the food industry and can persist throughout the food chain. The sporulation leads to an increase in the concentration of resistant forms in final products or food processing equipment. In order to identify sporulation environments in the food industry, it is necessary to be able to predict bacterial sporulation according to environmental factors. As sporulation occurs after bacterial growth, a kinetic model of growth-sporulation was used to describe the evolution of vegetative cells and spores through time. The effects of temperature, pH and water activity on the growth and the sporulation abilities of Bacillus subtilis BSB1 were modelled. The values of the growth boundaries were used as inputs to predict these effects. The good description of the sporulation kinetics by growth parameters suggests that the impact of the studied environmental factors is the same on both physiological process. Suboptimal conditions for growth delay the appearance of the first spores, and spores appear more synchronously in suboptimal conditions for growth. The developed model was also applicable to describe the growth and sporulation curves in changing temperature and pH conditions over time.

Flotillin-mediated membrane fluidity controls peptidoglycan synthesis and MreB movement

The bacterial plasma membrane is an important cellular compartment. In recent years it has become obvious that protein complexes and lipids are not uniformly distributed within membranes. Current hypotheses suggest that flotillin proteins are required for the formation of complexes of membrane proteins including cell-wall synthetic proteins. We show here that bacterial flotillins are important factors for membrane fluidity homeostasis. Loss of flotillins leads to a decrease in membrane fluidity that in turn leads to alterations in MreB dynamics and, as a consequence, in peptidoglycan synthesis. These alterations are reverted when membrane fluidity is restored by a chemical fluidizer. In vitro, the addition of a flotillin increases membrane fluidity of liposomes. Our data support a model in which flotillins are required for direct control of membrane fluidity rather than for the formation of protein complexes via direct protein-protein interactions.

CRISPR interference-based gene repression in the plant growth promoter Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis SBR5

Gene repression using the endonucleolytically deactivated dCas9 protein and sgRNAs (CRISPR interference or CRISPRi) is a useful approach to study gene functions. Here, we established CRISPRi in Paenibacillus sonchi genomovar Riograndensis SBR5, a plant growth promoting bacterium. CRISPRi system with sgRNAs targeting SBR5 endogenous genes spo0A, yaaT and ydjJ and plasmid-borne gfpUV was constructed and analyzed. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a significant decrease of reporter protein GFPUV signal in P. sonchi strains expressing gfpUV sgRNA in comparison with non-targeting controls. CRISPRi-based repression of chromosomal genes for regulation of sporulation spo0A and yaaT decreased sporulation and increased biofilm formation in SBR5. Repression of the sorbitol catabolic gene ydjJ revealed decreased specific activity of YdjJ in crude cell extracts and reduced biomass formation from sorbitol in growth experiments. Our work on CRISPRi-based gene repression serves as basis for gene function studies of the plant growth promoter P. sonchi SBR5. To our knowledge, the present study presents the first tool for gene repression established in Paenibacillus species.Key points• CRISPRi toward gene repression was applied for the first time in Paenibacillus.• CRISPRi of spo0A and yaaT depleted spores and increased biofilms in SBR5.• CRISPRi-based ydjJ repression decreased specific activity of sorbitol dehydrogenase.

Analyses of competent and non-competent subpopulations of Bacillus subtilis reveal yhfW, yhxC and ncRNAs as novel players in competence

Upon competence-inducing nutrient-limited conditions, only part of the Bacillus subtilis population becomes competent. Here, we separated the two subpopulations by fluorescence-assisted cell sorting (FACS). Using RNA-seq, we confirmed the previously described ComK regulon. We also found for the first time significantly downregulated genes in the competent subpopulation. The downregulated genes are not under direct control by ComK but have higher levels of corresponding antisense RNAs in the competent subpopulation. During competence, cell division and replication are halted. By investigating the proteome during competence, we found higher levels of the regulators of cell division, MinD and Noc. The exonucleases SbcC and SbcD were also primarily regulated at the post-transcriptional level. In the competent subpopulation, yhfW was newly identified as being highly upregulated. Its absence reduces the expression of comG, and has a modest, but statistically significant effect on the expression of comK. Although expression of yhfW is higher in the competent subpopulation, no ComK-binding site is present in its promoter region. Mutants of yhfW have a small but significant defect in transformation. Metabolomic analyses revealed significant reductions in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites and several amino acids in a ΔyhfW mutant. RNA-seq analysis of ΔyhfW revealed higher expression of the NAD synthesis genes nadA, nadB and nadC.

Linking Engineered Cells to Their Digital Twins: A Version Control System for Strain Engineering

As DNA sequencing and synthesis become cheaper and more easily accessible, the scale and complexity of biological engineering projects is set to grow. Yet, although there is an accelerating convergence between biotechnology and digital technology, a deficit in software and laboratory techniques diminishes the ability to make biotechnology more agile, reproducible, and transparent while, at the same time, limiting the security and safety of synthetic biology constructs. To partially address some of these problems, this paper presents an approach for physically linking engineered cells to their digital footprint-we called it digital twinning. This enables the tracking of the entire engineering history of a cell line in a specialized version control system for collaborative strain engineering via simple barcoding protocols.

BactMAP: An R package for integrating, analyzing and visualizing bacterial microscopy data

High-throughput analyses of single-cell microscopy data are a critical tool within the field of bacterial cell biology. Several programs have been developed to specifically segment bacterial cells from phase-contrast images. Together with spot and object detection algorithms, these programs offer powerful approaches to quantify observations from microscopy data, ranging from cell-to-cell genealogy to localization and movement of proteins. Most segmentation programs contain specific post-processing and plotting options, but these options vary between programs and possibilities to optimize or alter the outputs are often limited. Therefore, we developed BactMAP (Bacterial toolbox for Microscopy Analysis & Plotting), a command-line based R package that allows researchers to transform cell segmentation and spot detection data generated by different programs into various plots. Furthermore, BactMAP makes it possible to perform custom analyses and change the layout of the output. Because BactMAP works independently of segmentation and detection programs, inputs from different sources can be compared within the same analysis pipeline. BactMAP complies with standard practice in R which enables the use of advanced statistical analysis tools, and its graphic output is compatible with ggplot2, enabling adjustable plot graphics in every operating system. User feedback will be used to create a fully automated Graphical User Interface version of BactMAP in the future. Using BactMAP, we visualize key cell cycle parameters in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, and demonstrate that the DNA replication forks in Streptococcus pneumoniae dissociate and associate before splitting of the cell, after the Z-ring is formed at the new quarter positions. BactMAP is available from https://veeninglab.com/bactmap.

Identification of a basal system for unwinding a bacterial chromosome origin

Genome duplication is essential for cell proliferation, and DNA synthesis is generally initiated by dedicated replication proteins at specific loci termed origins. In bacteria, the master initiator DnaA binds the chromosome origin (oriC) and unwinds the DNA duplex to permit helicase loading. However, despite decades of research it remained unclear how the information encoded within oriC guides DnaA-dependent strand separation. To address this fundamental question, we took a systematic genetic approach in vivo and identified the core set of essential sequence elements within the Bacillus subtilis chromosome origin unwinding region. Using this information, we then show in vitro that the minimal replication origin sequence elements are necessary and sufficient to promote the mechanical functions of DNA duplex unwinding by DnaA. Because the basal DNA unwinding system characterized here appears to be conserved throughout the bacterial domain, this discovery provides a framework for understanding oriC architecture, activity, regulation and diversity.

Quantification and isolation of Bacillus subtilis spores using cell sorting and automated gating

The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is able to form endospores which have a variety of biotechnological applications. Due to this ability, B. subtilis is as well a model organism for cellular differentiation processes. Sporulating cultures of B. subtilis form sub-populations which include vegetative cells, sporulating cells and spores. In order to readily and rapidly quantify spore formation we employed flow cytometric and fluorescence activated cell sorting techniques in combination with nucleic acid fluorescent staining in order to investigate the distribution of sporulating cultures on a single cell level. Automated gating procedures using Gaussian mixture modeling (GMM) were employed to avoid subjective gating and allow for the simultaneous measurement of controls. We utilized the presented method for monitoring sporulation over time in germination deficient strains harboring different genome modifications. A decrease in the sporulation efficiency of strain Bs02018, utilized for the display of sfGFP on the spores surface was observed. On the contrary, a double knock-out mutant of the phosphatase gene encoding Spo0E and of the spore killing factor SkfA (Bs02025) exhibited the highest sporulation efficiency, as within 24 h of cultivation in sporulation medium, cultures of BS02025 already consisted of 80% spores as opposed to 18% for the control strain. We confirmed the identity of the different subpopulations formed during sporulation by employing sorting and microscopy.

Phosphorylation of the Bacillus subtilis Replication Controller YabA Plays a Role in Regulation of Sporulation and Biofilm Formation

Bacillus subtilis cells can adopt different life-styles in response to various environmental cues, including planktonic cells during vegetative growth, sessile cells during biofilm formation and sporulation. While switching life-styles, bacteria must coordinate the progression of their cell cycle with their physiological status. Our current understanding of the regulatory pathways controlling the decision-making processes and triggering developmental switches highlights a key role of protein phosphorylation. The regulatory mechanisms that integrate the bacterial chromosome replication status with sporulation involve checkpoint proteins that target the replication initiator DnaA or the kinase phosphorelay controlling the master regulator Spo0A. B. subtilis YabA is known to interact with DnaA to prevent over-initiation of replication during vegetative growth. Here, we report that YabA is phosphorylated by YabT, a Ser/Thr kinase expressed during sporulation and biofilm formation. The phosphorylation of YabA has no effect on replication initiation control but hyper-phosphorylation of YabA leads to an increase in sporulation efficiency and a strong inhibition of biofilm formation. We also provide evidence that YabA phosphorylation affects the level of Spo0A-P in cells. These results indicate that YabA is a multifunctional protein with a dual role in regulating replication initiation and life-style switching, thereby providing a potential mechanism for cross-talk and coordination of cellular processes during adaptation to environmental change.

Noise in a phosphorelay drives stochastic entry into sporulation in Bacillus subtilis

Entry into sporulation in Bacillus subtilis is governed by a phosphorelay in which phosphoryl groups from a histidine kinase are successively transferred via relay proteins to the response regulator Spo0A. Spo0A~P, in turn, sets in motion events that lead to asymmetric division and activation of the cell-specific transcription factor σ^F, a hallmark for entry into sporulation. Here, we have used a microfluidics-based platform to investigate the activation of Spo0A and σ^F in individual cells held under constant, sporulation-inducing conditions. The principal conclusions were that: (i) activation of σ^F occurs with an approximately constant probability after adaptation to conditions of nutrient limitation; (ii) activation of σ^F is tightly correlated with, and preceded by, Spo0A~P reaching a high threshold level; (iii) activation of Spo0A takes place abruptly just prior to asymmetric division; and (iv) the primary source of noise in the activation of Spo0A is the phosphorelay. We propose that cells exhibit a constant probability of attaining a high threshold level of Spo0A~P due to fluctuations in the flux of phosphoryl groups through the phosphorelay.

Genetic networks controlled by the bacterial replication initiator and transcription factor DnaA in Bacillus subtilis

DnaA is the widely conserved bacterial AAA+ ATPase that functions as both the replication initiator and a transcription factor. In many organisms, DnaA controls expression of its own gene and likely several others during growth and in response to replication stress. To evaluate the effects of DnaA on gene expression, separate from its role in replication initiation, we analyzed changes in mRNA levels in Bacillus subtilis cells with and without dnaA, using engineered strains in which dnaA is not essential. We found that dnaA was required for many of the changes in gene expression in response to replication stress. We also found that dnaA indirectly affected expression of several regulons during growth, including those controlled by the transcription factors Spo0A, AbrB, PhoP, SinR, RemA, Rok and YvrH. These effects were largely mediated by the effects of DnaA on expression of sda. DnaA activates transcription of sda, and Sda inhibits histidine protein kinases required for activation of the transcription factor Spo0A. We also found that loss of dnaA caused a decrease in the development of genetic competence. Together, our results indicate that DnaA plays an important role in modulating cell physiology, separate from its role in replication initiation.

Termination factor Rho: From the control of pervasive transcription to cell fate determination in Bacillus subtilis

In eukaryotes, RNA species originating from pervasive transcription are regulators of various cellular processes, from the expression of individual genes to the control of cellular development and oncogenesis. In prokaryotes, the function of pervasive transcription and its output on cell physiology is still unknown. Most bacteria possess termination factor Rho, which represses pervasive, mostly antisense, transcription. Here, we investigate the biological significance of Rho-controlled transcription in the Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Rho inactivation strongly affected gene expression in B. subtilis, as assessed by transcriptome and proteome analysis of a rho-null mutant during exponential growth in rich medium. Subsequent physiological analyses demonstrated that a considerable part of Rho-controlled transcription is connected to balanced regulation of three mutually exclusive differentiation programs: cell motility, biofilm formation, and sporulation. In the absence of Rho, several up-regulated sense and antisense transcripts affect key structural and regulatory elements of these differentiation programs, thereby suppressing motility and biofilm formation and stimulating sporulation. We dissected how Rho is involved in the activity of the cell fate decision-making network, centered on the master regulator Spo0A. We also revealed a novel regulatory mechanism of Spo0A activation through Rho-dependent intragenic transcription termination of the protein kinase kinB gene. Altogether, our findings indicate that distinct Rho-controlled transcripts are functional and constitute a previously unknown built-in module for the control of cell differentiation in B. subtilis. In a broader context, our results highlight the recruitment of the termination factor Rho, for which the conserved biological role is probably to repress pervasive transcription, in highly integrated, bacterium-specific, regulatory networks.

Cell Death Pathway That Monitors Spore Morphogenesis

The use of quality control mechanisms to stall developmental pathways or completely remove defective cells from a population is a widespread strategy to ensure the integrity of morphogenetic programs. Endospore formation (sporulation) is a well conserved microbial developmental strategy in the Firmicutes phylum wherein a progenitor cell that faces starvation differentiates to form a dormant spore. Despite the conservation of this strategy, it has been unclear what selective pressure maintains the fitness of this developmental program, composed of hundreds of unique genes, during multiple rounds of vegetative growth when sporulation is not required. Recently, a quality control pathway was discovered in Bacillus subtilis which monitors the assembly of the spore envelope and specifically eliminates, through cell lysis, sporulating cells that assemble the envelope incorrectly. Here, we review the use of checkpoints that govern the entry into sporulation in B. subtilis and discuss how the use of regulated cell death pathways during bacterial development may help maintain the fidelity of the sporulation program in the species.

Presence of Calcium Lowers the Expansion of Bacillus subtilis Colony Biofilms

Robust colony formation by Bacillus subtilis is recognized as one of the sessile, multicellular lifestyles of this bacterium. Numerous pathways and genes are responsible for the architecturally complex colony structure development. Cells in the biofilm colony secrete extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) and protein components (TasA and the hydrophobin BslA) that hold them together and provide a protective hydrophobic shield. Cells also secrete surfactin with antimicrobial as well as surface tension reducing properties that aid cells to colonize the solid surface. Depending on the environmental conditions, these secreted components of the colony biofilm can also promote the flagellum-independent surface spreading of B. subtilis, called sliding. In this study, we emphasize the influence of Ca²⁺ in the medium on colony expansion of B. subtilis. Interestingly, the availability of Ca²⁺ has no major impact on the induction of complex colony morphology. However, in the absence of this divalent ion, peripheral cells of the colony expand radially at later stages of development, causing colony size to increase. We demonstrate that the secreted extracellular compounds, EPS, BslA, and surfactin facilitate colony expansion after biofilm maturation. We propose that Ca²⁺ hinders biofilm colony expansion by modifying the amphiphilic properties of surfactin.

Bacillus subtilis Swarmer Cells Lead the Swarm, Multiply, and Generate a Trail of Quiescent Descendants

Bacteria adopt social behavior to expand into new territory, led by specialized swarmers, before forming a biofilm. Such mass migration of Bacillus subtilis on a synthetic medium produces hyperbranching dendrites that transiently (equivalent to 4 to 5 generations of growth) maintain a cellular monolayer over long distances, greatly facilitating single-cell gene expression analysis. Paradoxically, while cells in the dendrites (nonswarmers) might be expected to grow exponentially, the rate of swarm expansion is constant, suggesting that some cells are not multiplying. Little attention has been paid to which cells in a swarm are actually multiplying and contributing to the overall biomass. Here, we show in situ that DNA replication, protein translation and peptidoglycan synthesis are primarily restricted to the swarmer cells at dendrite tips. Thus, these specialized cells not only lead the population forward but are apparently the source of all cells in the stems of early dendrites. We developed a simple mathematical model that supports this conclusion.

Swarming motility enables rapid coordinated surface translocation of a microbial community, preceding the formation of a biofilm. This movement occurs in thin films and involves specialized swarmer cells localized to a narrow zone at the extreme swarm edge. In the B. subtilis system, using a synthetic medium, the swarm front remains as a cellular monolayer for up to 1.5 cm. Swarmers display high-velocity whirls and vortexing and are often assumed to drive community expansion at the expense of cell growth. Surprisingly, little attention has been paid to which cells in a swarm are actually growing and contributing to the overall biomass. Here, we show that swarmers not only lead the population forward but continue to multiply as a source of all cells in the community. We present a model that explains how exponential growth of only a few cells is compatible with the linear expansion rate of the swarm.

Control of Initiation of DNA Replication in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli

Initiation of DNA Replication is tightly regulated in all cells since imbalances in chromosomal copy number are deleterious and often lethal. In bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli, at the point of cytokinesis, there must be two complete copies of the chromosome to partition into the daughter cells following division at mid-cell during vegetative growth. Under conditions of rapid growth, when the time taken to replicate the chromosome exceeds the doubling time of the cells, there will be multiple initiations per cell cycle and daughter cells will inherit chromosomes that are already undergoing replication. In contrast, cells entering the sporulation pathway in B. subtilis can do so only during a short interval in the cell cycle when there are two, and only two, chromosomes per cell, one destined for the spore and one for the mother cell. Here, we briefly describe the overall process of DNA replication in bacteria before reviewing initiation of DNA replication in detail. The review covers DnaA-directed assembly of the replisome at oriC and the multitude of mechanisms of regulation of initiation, with a focus on the similarities and differences between E. coli and B. subtilis.

Genetic and biochemical interactions between the bacterial replication initiator DnaA and the nucleoid-associated protein Rok in Bacillus subtilis

We identified interactions between the conserved bacterial replication initiator and transcription factor DnaA and the nucleoid-associated protein Rok of Bacillus subtilis. DnaA binds directly to clusters of DnaA boxes at the origin of replication and elsewhere, including the promoters of several DnaA-regulated genes. Rok, an analog of H-NS from gamma-proteobacteria that affects chromosome architecture and of Lsr2 from Mycobacteria, binds A+T-rich sequences throughout the genome and represses expression of many genes. Using crosslinking and immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing (ChIP-seq), we found that DnaA was associated with eight previously identified regions containing clusters of DnaA boxes, plus 36 additional regions that were also bound by Rok. Association of DnaA with these additional regions appeared to be indirect as it was dependent on Rok and independent of the DNA-binding domain of DnaA. Gene expression and mutant analyses support a model in which DnaA and Rok cooperate to repress transcription of yxaJ, the yybNM operon and the sunA-bdbB operon. Our results indicate that DnaA modulates the activity of Rok. We postulate that this interaction might affect nucleoid architecture. Furthermore, DnaA might interact similarly with Rok analogues in other organisms.

YsbA and LytST are essential for pyruvate utilization in Bacillus subtilis

The genome of Bacillus subtilis encodes homologues of the Cid/Lrg network. In other bacterial species, this network consists of holin- and antiholin-like proteins that regulate cell death by controlling murein hydrolase activity. The YsbA protein of B. subtilis is currently annotated as a putative antiholin-like protein that possibly impedes cell death, whereas YwbH is thought to act as holin-like protein. However, the actual functions of YsbA and YwbH in B. subtilis have never been characterized. Therefore, we examined the impact of these proteins on growth and cell death in B. subtilis. We did not find a connection to the regulation of programmed cell death, but instead, our experiments reveal that YsbA and its two-component regulator LytST are essential for growth on pyruvate. Moreover, deletion of ysbA and lytS significantly reduces pyruvate consumption. Our findings suggest that LytST induces ysbA transcription in the presence of pyruvate, and that YsbA is involved in pyruvate utilization presumably by functioning as pyruvate uptake system. We show that B. subtilis excretes pyruvate as overflow metabolite in rich medium, indicating that pyruvate could be a common nutrient in the environment. Hence, YsbA and LytST might play a major role in environmental growth of B. subtilis.

Functional requirements of cellular differentiation: lessons from Bacillus subtilis

Successful execution of differentiation programs requires cells to assess multitudes of internal and external cues and respond with appropriate gene expression programs. Here, we review how Bacillus subtilis sporulation network deals with these tasks focusing on the lessons generalizable to other systems. With feedforward loops controlling both production and activation of downstream transcriptional regulators, cells achieve ultrasensitive threshold-like responses. The arrangement of sporulation network genes on the chromosome and transcriptional feedback loops allow coordination of sporulation decision with DNA-replication. Furthermore, to assess the starvation conditions without sensing specific metabolites, cells respond to changes in their growth rates with increased activity of sporulation master regulator. These design features of the sporulation network enable cells to robustly decide between vegetative growth and sporulation.

Stationary-Phase Mutagenesis in Stressed Bacillus subtilis Cells Operates by Mfd-Dependent Mutagenic Pathways

In replication-limited cells of Bacillus subtilis, Mfd is mutagenic at highly transcribed regions, even in the absence of bulky DNA lesions. However, the mechanism leading to increased mutagenesis through Mfd remains currently unknown. Here, we report that Mfd may promote mutagenesis in nutritionally stressed B. subtilis cells by coordinating error-prone repair events mediated by UvrA, MutY and PolI. Using a point-mutated gene conferring leucine auxotrophy as a genetic marker, it was found that the absence of UvrA reduced the Leu⁺ revertants and that a second mutation in mfd reduced mutagenesis further. Moreover, the mfd and polA mutants presented low but similar reversion frequencies compared to the parental strain. These results suggest that Mfd promotes mutagenic events that required the participation of NER pathway and PolI. Remarkably, this Mfd-dependent mutagenic pathway was found to be epistatic onto MutY; however, whereas the MutY-dependent Leu⁺ reversions required Mfd, a direct interaction between these proteins was not apparent. In summary, our results support the concept that Mfd promotes mutagenesis in starved B. subtilis cells by coordinating both known and previously unknown Mfd-associated repair pathways. These mutagenic processes bias the production of genetic diversity towards highly transcribed regions in the genome.

The comER Gene Plays an Important Role in Biofilm Formation and Sporulation in both Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus

Bacteria adopt alternative cell fates during development. In Bacillus subtilis, the transition from planktonic growth to biofilm formation and sporulation is controlled by a complex regulatory circuit, in which the most important event is activation of Spo0A, a transcription factor and a master regulator for genes involved in both biofilm formation and sporulation. In B. cereus, the regulatory pathway controlling biofilm formation and cell differentiation is much less clear. In this study, we show that a novel gene, comER, plays a significant role in biofilm formation as well as sporulation in both B. subtilis and B. cereus. Mutations in the comER gene result in defects in biofilm formation and a delay in spore formation in the two Bacillus species. Our evidence supports the idea that comER may be part of the regulatory circuit that controls Spo0A activation. comER likely acts upstream of sda, a gene encoding a small checkpoint protein for both sporulation and biofilm formation, by blocking the phosphor-relay and thereby Spo0A activation. In summary, our studies outlined a conserved, positive role for comER, a gene whose function was previously uncharacterized, in the regulation of biofilm formation and sporulation in the two Bacillus species.

Hard-Wired Control of Bacterial Processes by Chromosomal Gene Location

Bacterial processes, such as stress responses and cell differentiation, are controlled at many different levels. While some factors, such as transcriptional regulation, are well appreciated, the importance of chromosomal gene location is often underestimated or even completely neglected. A combination of environmental parameters and the chromosomal location of a gene determine how many copies of its DNA are present at a given time during the cell cycle. Here, we review bacterial processes that rely, completely or partially, on the chromosomal location of involved genes and their fluctuating copy numbers. Special attention will be given to the several different ways in which these copy-number fluctuations can be used for bacterial cell fate determination or coordination of interdependent processes in a bacterial cell.

The impact of manganese on biofilm development of Bacillus subtilis

Bacterial biofilms are dynamic and structurally complex communities, involving cell-to-cell interactions. In recent years, various environmental signals that induce the complex biofilm development of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis have been identified. These signalling molecules are often media components or molecules produced by the cells themselves, as well as those of other interacting species. The responses can also be due to depletion of certain molecules in the vicinity of the cells. Extracellular manganese (Mn2+) is essential for proper biofilm development of B. subtilis. Mn2+ is also a component of practically all laboratory biofilm-promoting media used for B. subtilis. Comparison of complex colony biofilms in the presence or absence of supplemented Mn2+ using microarray analyses revealed that genes involved in biofilm formation are indeed downregulated in the absence of Mn2+. In addition, Mn2+ also affects the transcription of several other genes involved in distinct differentiation pathways of various cellular processes. The effects of Mn2+ on other biofilm-related traits like motility, antimicrobial production, stress and sporulation were followed using fluorescent reporter strains. The global transcriptome and morphology studies highlight the importance of Mn2+ during biofilm development and provide an overview on the expressional changes in colony biofilms in B. subtilis.

Slowdown of growth controls cellular differentiation

How can changes in growth rate affect the regulatory networks behavior and the outcomes of cellular differentiation? We address this question by focusing on starvation response in sporulating Bacillus subtilis We show that the activity of sporulation master regulator Spo0A increases with decreasing cellular growth rate. Using a mathematical model of the phosphorelay-the network controlling Spo0A-we predict that this increase in Spo0A activity can be explained by the phosphorelay protein accumulation and lengthening of the period between chromosomal replication events caused by growth slowdown. As a result, only cells growing slower than a certain rate reach threshold Spo0A activity necessary for sporulation. This growth threshold model accurately predicts cell fates and explains the distribution of sporulation deferral times. We confirm our predictions experimentally and show that the concentration rather than activity of phosphorelay proteins is affected by the growth slowdown. We conclude that sensing the growth rates enables cells to indirectly detect starvation without the need for evaluating specific stress signals.

Complex polar machinery required for proper chromosome segregation in vegetative and sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis

Chromosome segregation is an essential process of cell multiplication. In prokaryotes, segregation starts with the newly replicated sister origins of replication, oriCs, which move apart to defined positions in the cell. We have developed a genetic screen to identify mutants defective in placement of oriC during spore development in the Gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. In addition to the previously identified proteins Soj and DivIVA, our screen identified several new factors involved in polar recruitment of oriC: a reported regulator of competence ComN, and the regulators of division site selection MinD and MinJ. Previous work implicated Soj as an important regulator of oriC positioning in the cell. Our results suggest a model in which the DivIVA‐interacting proteins ComN and MinJ recruit MinD to the cell pole, and that these proteins work upstream of Soj to enable oriC placement. We show that these proteins form a polar complex, which acts in parallel with but distinct from the sporulation‐specific RacA pathway of oriC placement, and also functions during vegetative growth. Our study further shows that MinD has two distinct cell cycle roles, in cell division and chromosome segregation, and highlights that cell probably use multiple parallel mechanisms to ensure accurate chromosome segregation.

Coordination of cell decisions and promotion of phenotypic diversity in B. subtilis via pulsed behavior of the phosphorelay

The phosphorelay of Bacillus subtilis, a kinase cascade that activates master regulator Spo0A ~ P in response to starvation signals, is the core of a large network controlling the cell's decision to differentiate into sporulation and other phenotypes. This article reviews recent advances in understanding the origins and purposes of the complex dynamical behavior of the phosphorelay, which pulses with peaks of activity coordinated with the cell cycle. The transient imbalance in the expression of two critical genes caused by their strategic placement at opposing ends of the chromosome proved to be the key for this pulsed behavior. Feedback control loops in the phosphorelay use these pulses to implement a timer mechanism, which creates several windows of opportunity for phenotypic transitions over multiple generations. This strategy allows the cell to coordinate multiple differentiation programs in a decision process that fosters phenotypic diversity and adapts to current conditions.

The RecA-Dependent SOS Response Is Active and Required for Processing of DNA Damage during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation

The expression of and role played by RecA in protecting sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis from DNA damage has been determined. Results showed that the DNA-alkylating agent Mitomycin-C (M-C) activated expression of a P_recA-gfpmut3a fusion in both sporulating cells’ mother cell and forespore compartments. The expression levels of a recA-lacZ fusion were significantly lower in sporulating than in growing cells. However, M-C induced levels of ß-galactosidase from a recA-lacZ fusion ~6- and 3-fold in the mother cell and forespore compartments of B. subtilis sporangia, respectively. Disruption of recA slowed sporulation and sensitized sporulating cells to M-C and UV-C radiation, and the M-C and UV-C sensitivity of sporangia lacking the transcriptional repair-coupling factor Mfd was significantly increased by loss of RecA. We postulate that when DNA damage is encountered during sporulation, RecA activates the SOS response thus providing sporangia with the repair machinery to process DNA lesions that may compromise the spatio-temporal expression of genes that are essential for efficient spore formation.

High-Throughput Genetic Screens Identify a Large and Diverse Collection of New Sporulation Genes in Bacillus subtilis

The differentiation of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis into a dormant spore is among the most well-characterized developmental pathways in biology. Classical genetic screens performed over the past half century identified scores of factors involved in every step of this morphological process. More recently, transcriptional profiling uncovered additional sporulation-induced genes required for successful spore development. Here, we used transposon-sequencing (Tn-seq) to assess whether there were any sporulation genes left to be discovered. Our screen identified 133 out of the 148 genes with known sporulation defects. Surprisingly, we discovered 24 additional genes that had not been previously implicated in spore formation. To investigate their functions, we used fluorescence microscopy to survey early, middle, and late stages of differentiation of null mutants from the B. subtilis ordered knockout collection. This analysis identified mutants that are delayed in the initiation of sporulation, defective in membrane remodeling, and impaired in spore maturation. Several mutants had novel sporulation phenotypes. We performed in-depth characterization of two new factors that participate in cell–cell signaling pathways during sporulation. One (SpoIIT) functions in the activation of σ^E in the mother cell; the other (SpoIIIL) is required for σ^G activity in the forespore. Our analysis also revealed that as many as 36 sporulation-induced genes with no previously reported mutant phenotypes are required for timely spore maturation. Finally, we discovered a large set of transposon insertions that trigger premature initiation of sporulation. Our results highlight the power of Tn-seq for the discovery of new genes and novel pathways in sporulation and, combined with the recently completed null mutant collection, open the door for similar screens in other, less well-characterized processes.

Transposon sequencing enables the recovery of virtually all previously characterized genes required for the differentiation of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis into a dormant spore and identifies 24 new ones.

When starved of nutrients, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis differentiates into a dormant spore that is impervious to environmental insults. Decades of research have uncovered over 100 genes required for spore formation. Molecular dissection of these genes has revealed factors that act at every stage of this developmental process. In this study, we used a high-throughput genetic screening method called transposon sequencing to assess whether there were any sporulation genes left to be discovered. This approach identified virtually all of the known sporulation genes, as well as 24 new ones. Furthermore, transposon sequencing enabled the discovery of two new sets of mutants in which the sporulation process was either delayed or accelerated. Using fluorescence microscopy, we determined the developmental stage at which each mutant was impaired and discovered mutants that are delayed in initiation of sporulation, or defective in morphogenesis, cell–cell signaling, or spore maturation. Our findings exemplify the utility of transposon sequencing to uncover new biology in well-studied processes, suggesting that it could similarly be used to identify novel genes required for other aspects of bacterial physiology, such as natural competence, stationary phase survival, or the responses to cell envelope stress and DNA damage.

Identification of the Replication Origins from Cyanothece ATCC 51142 and Their Interactions with the DnaA Protein: From In Silico to In Vitro Studies

Based on the complete genome of Cyanothece ATCC 51142, the oriCs of both the circular and linear chromosomes in Cyanothece ATCC 51142 have been predicted by utilizing a web-based system Ori-Finder. Here, we provide experimental support for the results of Ori-Finder to identify the replication origins of Cyanothece ATCC 51142 and their interactions with the initiator protein, DnaA. The two replication origins are composed of three characteristically arranged DnaA boxes and an AT-rich stretch, and the oriC in the circular chromosome is followed by the dnaN gene. The dnaA gene is located downstream of the origin of the circular chromosome and it expresses a typical DnaA protein that is divided into four domains (I, II, III, IV), as with other members of the DnaA protein family. We purify DnaA (IV) and characterize the interaction of the purified protein with the replication origins, so as to offer experimental support for the prediction. The results of the electrophoretic mobility shift assay and DNase I footprint assay demonstrate that the C-terminal domain of the DnaA protein from Cyanothece ATCC 51142 specifically binds the oriCs of both the circular and linear chromosomes, and the DNase I footprint assay demonstrates that DnaA (IV) exhibits hypersensitive affinity with DnaA boxes in both oriCs.