scholarly journals Role of anionic phospholipids in the adaptation of Bacillus subtilis to high salinity

Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia S. López ◽  
Alejandro F. Alice ◽  
Horacio Heras ◽  
Emilio A. Rivas ◽  
Carmen Sánchez-Rivas
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Membrane Lipid ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Lipid Packing ◽  
Anionic Phospholipids ◽  
Large Unilamellar Vesicles ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Lag Period

The importance of the content of anionic phospholipids [cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG)] in the osmotic adaptation and in the membrane structure of Bacillus subtilis cultures was investigated. Insertion mutations in the three putative cardiolipin synthase genes (ywiE, ywnE and ywjE) were obtained. Only the ywnE mutation resulted in a complete deficiency in cardiolipin and thus corresponds to a true clsA gene. The osmotolerance of a clsA mutant was impaired: although at NaCl concentrations lower than 1·2 M the growth curves were similar to those of its wild-type control, at 1·5 M NaCl (LBN medium) the lag period increased and the maximal optical density reached was lower. The membrane of the clsA mutant strain showed an increased PG content, at both exponential and stationary phase, but no trace of CL in either LB or LBN medium. As well as the deficiency in CL synthesis, the clsA mutant showed other differences in lipid and fatty acids content compared to the wild-type, suggesting a cross-regulation in membrane lipid pathways, crucial for the maintenance of membrane functionality and integrity. The biophysical characteristics of membranes and large unilamellar vesicles from the wild-type and clsA mutant strains were studied by Laurdan's steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. At physiological temperature, the clsA mutant showed a decreased lateral lipid packing in the protein-free vesicles and isolated membranes compared with the wild-type strain. Interestingly, the lateral lipid packing of the membranes of both the wild-type and clsA mutant strains increased when they were grown in LBN. In a conditional IPTG-controlled pgsA mutant, unable to synthesize PG and CL in the absence of IPTG, the osmoresistance of the cultures correlated with their content of anionic phospholipids. The transcriptional activity of the clsA and pgsA genes was similar and increased twofold upon entry to stationary phase or under osmotic upshift. Overall, these results support the involvement of the anionic phospholipids in the growth of B. subtilis in media containing elevated NaCl concentrations.

scholarly journals Transformation-deficient mutants of Bacillus subtilis impaired in competence-specific nuclease activities

1982 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-174
Author(s):  
J A Mulder ◽  
G Venema
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Magnesium Ions ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gels ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Molecular Weights ◽  
Defective Mutant ◽  
Mutant Strains

A comparison of the nucleolytic activities in competent and physiologically low-competent wild-type cultures of Bacillus subtilis in DNA-containing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels revealed the existence of three competence-associated nuclease activities with apparent molecular weights of 13,000, 15,000, and 26,000. The three activities, which were dependent on manganese or magnesium ions, were specifically present in the competent fraction of a competent culture. The competence-associated nucleolytic activities of eight transformation-defective mutant strains were assayed, resulting in the following three classes of mutants: (i) four strains which, according to this assay, were not impaired in any of the nucleolytic activities mentioned above; (ii) one strain which was strongly impaired in the 13,000- and 26,000-molecular-weight activities, but showed a considerable level of the 15,000-molecular-weight activity; and (iii) three strains which were severely impaired in all three activities. The results indicated that the 26,000-molecular-weight activity was a dimer of the 13,000-molecular-weight activity and that this nuclease was involved in the entry of DNA.

scholarly journals Addition of Poly(A) and Heteropolymeric 3′ Ends in Bacillus subtilis Wild-Type and Polynucleotide Phosphorylase-Deficient Strains

2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (14) ◽  
pp. 4698-4706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Campos-Guillén ◽  
Patricia Bralley ◽  
George H. Jones ◽  
David H. Bechhofer ◽  
Gabriela Olmedo-Alvarez
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Synthetic Activity ◽  
Polynucleotide Phosphorylase ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
Identical Nucleotide ◽  
End Sequences ◽  
Polymerase I

ABSTRACT Polyadenylation plays a role in decay of some bacterial mRNAs, as well as in the quality control of stable RNA. In Escherichia coli, poly(A) polymerase I (PAP I) is the main polyadenylating enzyme, but the addition of 3′ tails also occurs in the absence of PAP I via the synthetic activity of polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). The nature of 3′-tail addition in Bacillus subtilis, which lacks an identifiable PAP I homologue, was studied. Sizing of poly(A) sequences revealed a similar pattern in wild-type and PNPase-deficient strains. Sequencing of 152 cloned cDNAs, representing 3′-end sequences of nontranslated and translated RNAs, revealed modified ends mostly on incomplete transcripts, which are likely to be decay intermediates. The 3′-end additions consisted of either short poly(A) sequences or longer heteropolymeric ends with a mean size of about 40 nucleotides. Interestingly, multiple independent clones exhibited complex heteropolymeric ends of very similar but not identical nucleotide sequences. Similar polyadenylated and heteropolymeric ends were observed at 3′ ends of RNA isolated from wild-type and pnpA mutant strains. These data demonstrated that, unlike the case of some other bacterial species and chloroplasts, PNPase of Bacillus subtilis is not the major enzyme responsible for the addition of nucleotides to RNA 3′ ends.

scholarly journals Investigation of the physiological relationship between the cyanide-insensitive oxidase and cyanide production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (5) ◽  
pp. 1407-1415 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. A. Zlosnik ◽  
Gholam Reza Tavankar ◽  
Jacob G. Bundy ◽  
Dimitris Mossialos ◽  
Ronan O'Toole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogen ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Toxic Agent ◽  
Stationary Phase Culture ◽  
Prolonged Incubation ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Electron Sink ◽  
Culture Supernatants

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen which demonstrates considerable respiratory versatility, possessing up to five terminal oxidases. One oxidase, the cyanide-insensitive oxidase (CIO), has been previously shown to be resistant to the potent respiratory inhibitor cyanide, a toxin that is synthesized by this bacterium. This study investigated the physiological relationship between hydrogen cyanide production and the CIO. It was found that cyanide is produced in P. aeruginosa at similar levels irrespective of its complement of CIO, indicating that the CIO is not an obligatory electron sink for cyanide synthesis. However, MICs for cyanide and growth in its presence demonstrated that the CIO provides P. aeruginosa with protection against the effects of exogenous cyanide. Nevertheless, the presence of cyanide did not affect the viability of cio mutant strains compared to the wild-type during prolonged incubation in stationary phase. The detection of the fermentation end products acetate and succinate in stationary-phase culture supernatants suggests that P. aeruginosa, irrespective of its CIO complement, may in part rely upon fermentation for energy generation in stationary phase. Furthermore, the decrease in cyanide levels during incubation in sealed flasks suggested that active breakdown of HCN by the culture was taking place. To investigate the possibility that the CIO may play a role in pathogenicity, wild-type and cio mutant strains were tested in the paralytic killing model of Caenorhabditis elegans, a model in which cyanide is the principal toxic agent leading to nematode death. The CIO mutant had delayed killing kinetics, demonstrating that the CIO is required for full pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa in this animal model.

Physiological and genetic characterization of the osmotic stress response in Bacillus subtilis

1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra M. Ruzal ◽  
Carmen Sanchez-Rivas
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Osmotic Stress ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Resistant Mutant ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Osmotic Stress Response ◽  
Mutant Phenotypes ◽  
Physiological Variations ◽  
Growth Adaptation

Bacillus subtilis cultures submitted to an osmotic upshock (1.5 M NaCl) lysed unless stationary phase had been reached. Several physiological variations were observed, such as delayed growth (adaptation), a filamentous bacterial appearance, RecA-dependent osmoresistance (SOS), and cross-induction by a previous stress (heat shock). Osmoresistance and sporulation seem to share pathways of regulation such as inhibition in the presence of glucose and glutamine and derepression in a catabolite-resistant mutant such as degUh. However, spores were not obtained on hypertonic media. Mutants of later sporulation stages (spoII, spoIII) presented a response similar to that of the wild-type parent, indicating that both processes probably shared early controls. Null mutations in any of the known key modulators of sporulation (spoOA or degU) resulted in similar levels of osmosensitivity. Sensor mutations in kinA and degS also led to strains with altered responses, the kinA mutant being even more osmosensitive than the degS mutant. Several spoOA mutant phenotypes are due to this gene's control of abrB, a regulator of stationary-phase events, and an abrB mutation relieved the osmosensitivity of the spoOA-containing mutant but had no effect on a wild-type strain.Key words: Bacillus subtilis, osmotic stress, sporulation.

scholarly journals Uncovering New Metabolic Capabilities of Bacillus subtilis Using Phenotype Profiling of Rifampin-Resistant rpoB Mutants

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (3) ◽  
pp. 807-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy E. Perkins ◽  
Wayne L. Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Metabolic Profiling ◽  
Transcriptional Control ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Subunit Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Utilization Patterns ◽  
Flow Of Information

ABSTRACT RNA polymerase is a central macromolecular machine controlling the flow of information from genotype to phenotype, and insights into global transcriptional regulation can be gained by studying mutational perturbations in the enzyme. Mutations in the RNA polymerase β subunit gene rpoB causing resistance to rifampin (Rifr) in Bacillus subtilis were previously shown to lead to alterations in the expression of a number of global phenotypes known to be under transcriptional control, such as growth, competence for transformation, sporulation, and germination (H. Maughan, B. Galeano, and W. L. Nicholson, J. Bacteriol. 186:2481-2486, 2004). To better understand the global effects of rpoB mutations on metabolism, wild-type and 11 distinct congenic Rifr mutant strains of B. subtilis were tested for utilization of 95 substrates by use of Biolog GP2 MicroPlates. A number of alterations of substrate utilization patterns were observed in the Rifr mutants, including the utilization of novel substrates previously unknown in B. subtilis, such as gentiobiose, β-methyl-d-glucoside, and d-psicose. The results indicate that combining global metabolic profiling with mutations in RNA polymerase provides a system-wide approach for uncovering previously unknown metabolic capabilities and further understanding global transcriptional control circuitry in B. subtilis.

scholarly journals Metabolic Imbalance and Sporulation in an Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutant of Bacillus subtilis

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (11) ◽  
pp. 3382-3391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoshi Matsuno ◽  
Tessa Blais ◽  
Alisa W. Serio ◽  
Tyrrell Conway ◽  
Tina M. Henkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Isocitrate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Citrate Synthase ◽  
Divalent Cations ◽  
Mutant Cell ◽  
Stage I ◽  
Mutant Form ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
High Accumulation

ABSTRACT A Bacillus subtilis mutant with a deletion in thecitC gene, encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase, the third enzyme of the tricarboxylic acid branch of the Krebs cycle, exhibited reduced growth yield in broth medium and had greatly reduced ability to sporulate compared to the wild type due to a block at stage I, i.e., a failure to form the polar division septum. In early stationary phase, mutant cells accumulated intracellular and extracellular concentrations of citrate and isocitrate that were at least 15-fold higher than in wild-type cells. The growth and sporulation defects of the mutant could be partially bypassed by deletion of the major citrate synthase gene (citZ), by raising the pH of the medium, or by supplementation of the medium with certain divalent cations, suggesting that abnormal accumulation of citrate affects survival of stationary-phase cells and sporulation by lowering extracellular pH and chelating metal ions. While these genetic and environmental alterations were not sufficient to allow the majority of the mutant cell population to pass the stage I block (lack of asymmetric septum formation), introduction of the sof-1 mutant form of the Spo0A transcription factor, when coupled with a reduction in citrate synthesis, restored sporulation gene expression and spore formation nearly to wild-type levels. Thus, the primary factor inhibiting sporulation in a citC mutant is abnormally high accumulation of citrate, but relief of this metabolic defect is not by itself sufficient to restore competence for sporulation.

scholarly journals Transcriptional activation of the Azotobacter vinelandii polyhydroxybutyrate biosynthetic genes phbBAC by PhbR and RpoS

Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (11) ◽  
pp. 3014-3023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Hernandez-Eligio ◽  
Mildred Castellanos ◽  
Soledad Moreno ◽  
Guadalupe Espín
Keyword(s):  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Azotobacter Vinelandii ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Gene Fusions ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Regulation Of Expression ◽  
Expression Studies ◽  
Mutant Strains

We previously showed that in Azotobacter vinelandii, accumulation of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) occurs mainly during the stationary phase, and that a mutation in phbR, encoding a transcriptional regulator of the AraC family, reduces PHB accumulation. In this study, we characterized the roles of PhbR and RpoS, a central regulator during stationary phase in bacteria, in the regulation of expression of the PHB biosynthetic operon phbBAC and phbR. We showed that inactivation of rpoS reduced PHB accumulation, similar to the phbR mutation, and inactivation of both rpoS and phbR resulted in an inability to produce PHB. We carried out expression studies with the wild-type, and the rpoS, phbR and double rpoS-phbR mutant strains, using quantitative RT-PCR, as well as phbB : : gusA and phbR : : gusA gene fusions. These studies showed that both PhbR and RpoS act as activators of phbB and phbR, and revealed a role for PhbR as an autoactivator. We also demonstrated that PhbR binds specifically to two almost identical 18 bp sites, TGTCACCAA-N4-CACTA and TGTCACCAA-N4-CAGTA, present in the phbB promoter region. The activation of phbB and phbR transcription by RpoS reported here is in agreement with the observation that accumulation of PHB in A. vinelandii occurs mainly during the stationary phase.

scholarly journals Regulation of the Bacillus subtilis Extracytoplasmic Function Protein σY and Its Target Promoters

2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (16) ◽  
pp. 4883-4890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Cao ◽  
Letal Salzberg ◽  
Ching Sung Tsai ◽  
Thorsten Mascher ◽  
Carla Bonilla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Negative Regulation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Induced Mutations ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Elevated Expression ◽  
Direct Target ◽  
Extracytoplasmic Function Sigma Factor ◽  
Target Promoters

ABSTRACT The Bacillus subtilis extracytoplasmic function sigma factor σY is of unknown function. We demonstrate that the sigY operon is expressed from an autoregulatory promoter site, PY. We selected for transposon-induced mutations that upregulate PY transcription in an attempt to identify genes involved in σY regulation. The resulting insertions disrupted yxlC, the gene immediately downstream of sigY. However, the phenotype of the yxlC::Tn10 insertion was due to polarity on the downstream genes of the sigY operon; a nonpolar insertion in yxlC did not lead to derepression of PY. Further analyses revealed that both yxlD and yxlE encoded proteins important for the negative regulation of σY activity. A comparison of the transcriptomes of wild-type and yxlC::Tn10 mutant strains revealed elevated expression of several operons. However, only one additional gene, ybgB, was unambiguously identified as a direct target for σY. This was supported by analysis of direct targets for σY transcription with whole-genome runoff transcription followed by macroarray analysis.

scholarly journals Physiological Effects of Anti-TRAP Protein Activity and tRNATrp Charging on trp Operon Expression in Bacillus subtilis

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (6) ◽  
pp. 1937-1945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis R. Cruz-Vera ◽  
Ming Gong ◽  
Charles Yanofsky
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Transcription Termination ◽  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Deficient Mutant ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Protein Activity ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Operon Expression

ABSTRACT The Bacillus subtilis anti-TRAP protein regulates the ability of the tryptophan-activated TRAP protein to bind to trp operon leader RNA and promote transcription termination. AT synthesis is regulated both transcriptionally and translationally by uncharged tRNATrp. In this study, we examined the roles of AT synthesis and tRNATrp charging in mediating physiological responses to tryptophan starvation. Adding excess phenylalanine to wild-type cultures reduced the charged tRNATrp level from 80% to 40%; the charged level decreased further, to 25%, in an AT-deficient mutant. Adding tryptophan with phenylalanine increased the charged tRNATrp level, implying that phenylalanine, when added alone, reduces the availability of tryptophan for tRNATrp charging. Changes in the charged tRNATrp level observed during growth with added phenylalanine were associated with increased transcription of the genes of tryptophan metabolism. Nutritional shift experiments, from a medium containing tryptophan to a medium with phenylalanine and tyrosine, showed that wild-type cultures gradually reduced their charged tRNATrp level. When this shift was performed with an AT-deficient mutant, the charged tRNATrp level decreased even further. Growth rates for wild-type and mutant strains deficient in AT or TRAP or that overproduce AT were compared in various media. A lack of TRAP or overproduction of AT resulted in phenylalanine being required for growth. These findings reveal the importance of AT in maintaining a balance between the synthesis of tryptophan versus the synthesis of phenylalanine, with the level of charged tRNATrp acting as the crucial signal regulating AT production.

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