sporulation

Single-stranded DNA-binding proteins (SSB) are crucial in DNA metabolism. While Escherichia coli SSB is extensively studied, the significance of its C-terminal domain has only recently emerged. This study explored the significance of C-domains of two paralogous Ssb proteins in S. coelicolor. Mutational analyses of C-domains uncovered a novel role of SsbA during sporulation-specific cell division and demonstrated that the C-tip is non-essential for survival. In vitro methods revealed altered biophysical and biochemical properties of Ssb proteins with modified C-domains...

Among microorganisms found in food, fungi stand out because they are adaptable and competitive in a large range of water activities, temperatures, pHs, humidities and substrate types. Besides sporulating, some species are toxigenic and produce toxic metabolites, mycotoxins, under adverse biotic and abiotic variables. Microorganisms are inactivated along the food chain, but mycotoxins have stable structures and remain in ready-to-eat food. The most prevalent mycotoxins in food, which are aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, patulin, tenuazonic acid, trichothecenes and zearalenone, have maximum tolerable limits (MTLs) defined as ppb and ppt by official organizations...

The production of whole-liquid eggs is of significant economic and nutritional importance. This study aimed to assess the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of mesophilic aerobic spore-forming bacteria (n = 200) isolated from pasteurized whole liquid egg and liquid egg yolk. The majority of the isolates were identified as belonging to the genera Bacillus (86 %), followed by Brevibacillus (10 %) and Lysinibacillus (4 %). For the phenotypic characterization, isolates were subjected to various heat shocks, with the most significant reductions observed at 80 °C/30 min and 90 °C/10 min for isolates recovered from raw materials...

OBJECTIVES: Bacillus subtilis is a plant growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) that acts as a microbial fertilizer and biocontrol agent, providing benefits such as boosting crop productivity and improving nutrient content. It is able to produce secondary metabolites and endospores simultaneously, enhancing its ability to survive in unfavorable conditions and eliminate competing microorganisms. Optimizing cultivation methods to produce B. subtilis MSCL 897 spores on an industrial scale, requires a suitable medium, typically made from food industry by-products, and optimal temperature and pH levels to achieve high vegetative cell and spore densities with maximum productivity...

The cell death and survival paradox in various biological processes requires clarification. While spore development causes maternal cell death in Bacillus species, the involvement of other cell death pathways in sporulation remains unknown. Here, we identified a novel ArsR family transcriptional regulator, CdsR, and found that the deletion of its encoding gene cdsR causes cell lysis and inhibits sporulation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an ArsR family transcriptional regulator governing cell death...

Major progress in developing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that utilize the pentose sugar xylose has been achieved. However, the high inhibitor content of lignocellulose hydrolysates still hinders efficient xylose fermentation, which remains a major obstacle for commercially viable second-generation bioethanol production. Further improvement of xylose utilization in inhibitor-rich lignocellulose hydrolysates remains highly challenging. In this work, we have developed a robust industrial S. cerevisiae strain able to efficiently ferment xylose in concentrated undetoxified lignocellulose hydrolysates...

Heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting the growth, sporulation, colonization and survival of Trichoderma viride. This study aimed to gain a better insight into the underlying mechanism governing the heat stress response of T. viride Tv-1511. We analysed the transcriptomic changes of Tv-1511 under normal and heat stress conditions using RNA sequencing. We observed that Tv-1511 regulates the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites through a complex network of signalling pathways. Additionally, it significantly activates the anti-oxidant defence system, heat shock proteins and stress-response-related transcription factors in response to heat stress...

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is among the 10 most serious fungal diseases worldwide. Fludioxonil is widely used to prevent and control gray mold due to its low toxicity and high efficiency; however, resistance caused by long-term use has become increasingly prominent. Therefore, exploring the resistance mechanism of fungicides provides a theoretical basis for delaying the occurrence of diseases and controlling gray mold. In this study, fludioxonil-resistant strains were obtained through indoor drug domestication, and the mutation sites were determined by sequencing...

UNLABELLED: The mycelium of the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum exhibits distinct structures for vegetative growth, asexual sporulation, sexual development, virulence, and chlamydospore formation. These structures are vital for the survival and pathogenicity of the fungus, necessitating precise regulation based on environmental cues. Initially identified in Magnaporthe oryzae , the transcription factor Con7p regulates conidiation and infection-related morphogenesis, but not vegetative growth...

The small acid-soluble proteins are found in all endospore-forming organisms and are a major component of spores. Through their DNA binding capabilities, the SASPs shield the DNA from outside insults (e.g., UV and genotoxic chemicals). The absence of the major SASPs results in spores with reduced viability when exposed to UV light and, in at least one case, the inability to complete sporulation. While the SASPs have been characterized for decades, some evidence suggests that using newer technologies to revisit the roles of the SASPs could reveal novel functions in spore regulation...

The effect of salinomycin sodium alone and in combination with functional oils on performance and microbiota of broiler infected Eimeria were evaluated. 512 broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatments (8 replicates, 16 birds/pen): a Control group (any additives); Ionophore group: salinomycin supplementation at 66 ppm (SS66); Ionophore +0.075% Functional oil (FO) group (SS66 + FO supplementation at 750 ppm); and Ionophore +0.10% FO group (SS66 + FO supplementation at 1000 ppm)...

The urgency for energy efficient, responsive architectures has propelled smart material development to the forefront of scientific and architectural research. This paper explores biological, physical, and morphological factors influencing the programming of a novel microbial-based smart hybrid material which is responsive to changes in environmental humidity. Hygromorphs respond passively, without energy input, by expanding in high humidity and contracting in low humidity. Bacillus subtilis develops environmentally robust, hygromorphic spores which may be harnessed within a bilayer to generate a deflection response with potential for programmability...

A new coccidian species, Eimeria atricillae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) collected from the laughing gull Leucophaeus atricilla, is reported from Port Isabel, Texas, USA. Sporulated oöcysts of the new species are spherical to subspherical, 16.0-18.1 × 14.4-16.6 (17.1 × 15.4) μm, with a length/width (L/W) ratio of 1.0-1.1; polar granules are present, but micropyle and oöcyst residuum are absent. Sporocysts are ovoid, 9.1-9.7 × 6.1-7.1 (9...

UNLABELLED: Spores of Bacillus subtilis germinate in response to specific germinant molecules that are recognized by receptors in the spore envelope. Germinants signal to the dormant spore that the environment can support vegetative growth, so many germinants, such as alanine and valine, are also essential metabolites. As such, they are also required to build the spore. Here we show that these germinants cause premature germination if they are still present at the latter stages of spore formation and beyond, but that B...

Marine macroalgae are the habitat of epiphytic bacteria and provide several conditions for a beneficial biological interaction to thrive. Although Bacillus is one of the most abundant epiphytic genera, genomic information on marine macroalgae-associated Bacillus species remains scarce. In this study, we further investigated our previously published genome of the epiphytic strain Bacillus altitudinis 19_A to find features that could be translated to potential metabolites produced by this microorganism, as well as genes that play a role in its interaction with its macroalgal host...

Harsh, unpredictable environments are known to favor cooperative groups in animals. Whether plants exhibit similar relationships is unknown. Staghorn ferns ( Platycerium bifurcatum , Polypodiaceae) are epiphytes that form cooperative groups which build communal water and nutrient 'nests' at the tops of trees, a habitat characterized by water and nutrient stress. We conducted field observations to test whether staghorn ferns continue to live in large, reproductively active groups after they become dislodged from the canopy and fall to the forest floor, where they are less limited by water and nutrient deprivation...

Bacteria produce and release small signal molecules, autoinducers, as an indicator of their cell density. The system, called a quorum-sensing (QS) system, is used to control not only virulence factors but also antibiotic production, sporulation, competence, and biofilm formation in bacteria. Different from antibiotics, QS inhibitors are expected to specifically repress the virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria without inhibiting growth or bactericidal effects. Therefore, since QS inhibitors have little risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria emergence, they have been proposed as promising anti-bacterial agents...

Spore-forming pathogens have a unique capacity to thrive in diverse environments, and with temporal persistence afforded through their ability to sporulate. Their prevalence in diverse ecosystems requires a One Health approach to identify critical reservoirs and outbreak-associated transmission chains, given their capacity to freely move across soils, waterways, foodstuffs and as commensals or infecting pathogens in human and animal populations. Among anaerobic spore-formers, genomic resources for pathogens including C...

SUMMARY The 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...

This study investigated the effects of Bacillus subtilis HW2 on the growth performance, immune response, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and intestinal health in broilers with necrotic enteritis. Three hundred 1-day-old male Cobb 500 broilers (33.88 ± 2.34 g) were randomly allocated to 5 groups including non-infected control (NC group), basal diet + necrotic enteritis challenge (NE group), basal diet + 1 × 106 CFU/g B. subtilis HW2 + necrotic enteritis challenge (L-Pro group), basal diet + 5 × 106 CFU/g B...