Medium optimization of antifungal lipopeptide,iturin A,production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> in solid-state fermentation by response surface methodology

Iturin A, a lipopeptide antibiotic produced by Bacillus subtilis RB14-CS, suppresses the growth of various plant pathogens. Here, enhancement of iturin A production in solid-state fermentation (SSF) on okara, a soybean curd residue produced during tofu manufacturing, was accomplished using statistical experimental design. Primary experiments showed that the concentrations of carbon and nitrogen sources were the main factors capable of enhancing iturin A production, whereas initial pH, initial water content, temperature, relative humidity, and volume of inoculum were only minor factors. Glucose and soybean meal were the most effective among tested carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. Based on these preliminary findings, response surface methodology was applied to predict the optimum amounts of the carbon and nitrogen sources in the medium. The maximum iturin A concentration was 5,591 μg/g initial wet okara under optimized condition. Subsequent experiments confirmed that iturin A production was significantly improved under the predicted optimal medium conditions. The SSF product generated under the optimized conditions exhibited significantly higher suppressive effect on the damping-off of tomato caused by Rhizoctonia solani K-1 compared with the product generated under the non-optimized conditions.     

Production of the antifungal peptide antibiotic,iturin by Bacillus subtilis NB22 in solid state fermentation

Production of iturin, an antifungal peptide effective at suppressing phytopathogens, by Bacillus subtilis NB22 was investigated in solid state fermentation (SSF) using soy bean curd residue (okara). In scale-up from 15 g to 3 kg, aeration, temperature, and moisture content were controlling factors for the efficient production of iturin. It was found that solid state fermentation was 6–8 times more efficient with respect to iturin productivity than submerged fermentation on the basis of unit wet weight. Higher productivity in selective production of specific components of iturin which are stronger inhibitors of plant pathogens was also confirmed in SSF.     

Production of antifungal antibiotic,iturin in a solid state fermentation byBacillus subtilis NB22 using wheat bran as a substrate

Summary Production of a family of lipopeptide antibiotic, iturin byB. subtilis NB22, in solid state fermentation (SSF) of wheat bran (WB) was investigated. The amount of iturin produced per unit weight of wet substrate was 5–6 times more than that in the submerged fermentation (SMF). SSF enabled to produce a homologue of iturin with strong antibiotic activity in a larger fraction compared with the SMF.     

Production of lipopeptide antibiotic iturin A using soybean curd residue cultivated with Bacillus subtilis in solid-state fermentation

Bacillus subtilis RB14-CS, which suppresses the growth of various plant pathogens in vitro by producing the lipopeptide antibiotic iturin A, was cultured using soybean curd residue, okara, a by-product of tofu manufacture in solid-state fermentation. After 4 days incubation, iturin A production reached 3,300 mg/kg wet solid material (14 g/kg dry solid material), which is approximately tenfold higher than that in submerged fermentation. When the okara product cultured with RB14-CS was introduced into soil infested with Rhizoctonia solani, which is a causal agent of damping-off of tomato, the disease occurrence was significantly suppressed. After 14 days, the number of RB14-CS cells remained in soil at the initial level, whereas almost no iturin A was detected in soil. As the okara cultured with RB14-CS exhibited functions of both plant disease suppression and nutritional effect on tomato seedlings, this product is expected to contribute to the recycling of the soybean curd residue.     

Precise molecular weight determination of PCR products of the rRNA intergenic spacer region using electrospray quadrupole mass spectrometry for differentiation of B. subtilis and B. atrophaeus, closely related species of bacilli

Assessment of 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer region (ISR) sequence variability is an important supplement to 16S rRNA sequencing for differentiating closely related bacterial species. Species differentiation can also be achieved by determination of approximate size of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) products of ISRs, based on their relative electrophoretic mobility on agarose gels. Closely-related species can have ISR PCR products that are similar in size. More precise molecular weight (M.W.) determination of these products might allow improved discrimination of such species. Electrospray quadrupole mass spectrometry (ESI-Q-MS) has the potential to provide such precision. For ESI-Q-MS analysis, size limitation of PCR products is currently limited to around 130 base pairs (bp). Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus atrophaeus are two closely related species with few distinguishing phenotypic characteristics. B. subtilis has recently been sub-divided into two subgroups, W23 (type strain, W23) and 168 (type strain, 168). PCR products amplified from the ISR including the 5′ terminal end of the 23S rRNA and a conserved portion of the ISR were analyzed by ESI-Q-MS. A 119 or 120 bp PCR product was produced for B. atrophaeus strains. However, strains of B. subtilis subgroups W23 and 168 each produced 114 bp products. In summary, a mass spectrometry method was developed for differentiation of B. subtilis and B. atrophaeus. Also, the genetic similarity of B. subtilis subgroups W23 and 168 was confirmed. Accurate determination of the molecular weight of PCR products from the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer region using electrospray quadrupole mass spectrometry has great potential as a general technique for characterizing closely related bacterial species.     

Survival of bacillus subtilis NB22, an antifungal-antibiotic iturin producer,and its transformant in soil-systems

Bacillus subtilis NB22 is an antifungal-antibiotic iturin producer that expresses broad suppressibility against phytopathogenic microorganisms. The survival of B. subtilis NB22-1, which is a spontaneous streptomycin-resistance mutant of NB22 was investigated in four different soils. After a gradual decline, the bacterial viable cell number stabilized at a level of 10⁴–10⁵ colony forming units/g-dry soil irrespective of soil differences. A similar decline and stabilization pattern was observed in the case of the transformant of B. subtilis NB22-1 with the plasmid pC194 in nonsterile soil. The transformant reached a much higher stabilized level in sterile soil than in nonsterile soil. However, significant loss of the plasmid was observed in both the soil systems after 10 to 20 d incubation. Plasmid pC194 was stable over a hundred generations in the strain when cultivated in a liquid complex medium, but unstable in minimal medium, indicating that the plasmid stability in soil does not necessarily reflect that in liquid culture.     

Plasmid transformation in Bacillus subtilis NB22, an antifungal-antibiotic iturin producer

A transformation system with plasmids was developed for Bacillus subtilis NB22, an antibiotic iturin producing strain. Treatment of B. subtilis NB22 with 4 M KCl was effective for the induction of competence, followed by uptake of plasmid DNA in the presence of polyethylene glycol. The efficiency of transformation of this bacterium with pC194 and pUB110 was 4.1 X 10(3) and 1.5 X 10(3) transformants per micrograms DNA, respectively and the transformation frequency was 3.3 X 10(-3) and 7.2 X 10(-4), transformants per viable cell, respectively. This method was much faster and three orders of magnitude more efficient in transformation efficiency than protoplast transformation methods.     

Isolation of new variants of surfactin by a recombinant Bacillus subtilis

A recombinant Bacillus subtilis MI113(pC115), carrying a gene responsible for the production of surfactin and iturin A cloned from B. subtilis RB14C, produced new surfactin variants, in addition to the already reported surfactin, when MI113(pC115) was cultured in solid-state fermentation of soybean curd residue (okara) as a substrate. All variants isolated by HPLC were characterized. Received: 18 December 1996 / Received revision: 20 February 1997 / Accepted: 28 February 1997     

Co-producing iturin A and poly-γ-glutamic acid from rapeseed meal under solid state fermentation by the newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> strain 3-10

The strain 3-10 was isolated from soil and identified as B. subtilis according to morphological and physiological characteristics and nucleotide sequence of 16S rRNA. It co-produced anti-fungal iturin A and fertilizer synergist of poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) under solid state fermentation (SSF) with rapeseed meal. The co-production of iturin A and γ-PGA reached 5.3 and 51.3 g/kg-dry weight culture, respectively, and the number of viable cells reached 1.9 × 10¹⁰ CFU/g-dry weight culture. In pot tests, the shoot length and dry weight of watermelon seedlings treated by the SSF culture improved by 48.0 and 30.8%, respectively compared to the control; and its biocontrol effect on watermelon fusarium wilt achieved 89.6%. These results highlight a novel strategy to exploit the low-cost and widely available rapeseed meal as dual-functional bio-organic fertilizer under SSF by B. subtilis.     

Enhanced stability of the cloned Bacillus subtilis alkaline protease gene in alginate-immobilized B. subtilis cells

Expression and stability of the cloned Bacillus subtilis alkaline protease (aprE)gene was monitored throughout the growth of free and alginate-immobilized B. subtilis cells. The time as well as the level of expression of the aprE gene in alginate-immobilized cells was found to be close to that of free cells. The multicopy plasmid that carries the aprE gene was stably maintained in alginate-immobilized cells. Plasmid stability was greatly enhanced, it reached 83% and 8% after ten growth cycles for alginate-immobilized and free cells in the absence of stress, respectively. Data presented demonstrate that immobilization of B. subtilis recombinant cells would partially solve the problem of plasmid instability in B. subtilis.     

Bacillussubtilis holo-cytochrome c-550 can be synthesised in aerobic Escherichia coli

Bacillus subtilis membrane-bound holo-cytochrome c-550 was found to be expressed from the structural gene cloned on a plasmid vector in aerobically grown Escherichia coli and exhibited normal biochemical properties. This occurs despite the lack of endogenous eytochrome c and suggests that eytochrome c-heme lyase activity is also present in aerobic E. coli. The membrane topology of B. subtilis eytochrome c-550 was studied using fusions to alkaline phosphatase (PhoA). The results show that the heme domain (at least when fused to PhoA) can be translocated as apo-cytochrome and confirm that the N-terminal part of the cytochrome functions as both export signal and membrane anchor for the C-tenninal heme domain. A model for the organisation of B. subtilis cytochrome c-550 in the cytoplasmic membrane is presented.     

Comparison and functional characterisation of three homologous intracellular carboxylesterases of Bacillus subtilis

Enzymatic hydrolysis of racemic mixtures may provide an attractive method for the enantiopure production of chiral pharmaceuticals. For example, the carboxylesterase NP of Bacillus subtilis Thai I-8 is an excellent biocatalyst in the kinetic resolution of NSAID esters, such as naproxen and ibuprofen methyl esters. Two homologues of this enzyme were identified when the genome sequence of B. subtilis 168 was revealed in 1997. We characterised one of the homologous, YbfK, as a very enantioselective 1,2-O-isopropylidene-sn-glycerol caprylate esterase, while only modest enantioselectivity towards the naproxen ester was observed. The other homologue, the carboxylesterase NA has not been characterised yet. The purpose of the present study was to fully characterise these three highly homologous esterases with respect to their applicability towards the enantiospecific hydrolysis of a wide range of compounds. The esterase genes were cloned and expressed in B. subtilis using a combination of two strong promotors in a multi-copy vector. After purification of the enzymes from the cytoplasm of B. subtilis, the biochemical and enantioselective properties of the enzymes were determined. Although all carboxylesterases have similar physico-chemical properties, comparison of their specific activities and enantioselectivities towards several compounds revealed rather different substrate specificities. We conclude that carboxylesterase NP and carboxylesterase NA are particularly suited for the enzymatic conversion of naproxen esters, while YbfK offers enantiopure (+)-IPG from its caprylate ester. Given the carboxylesterase activities of the esterases it has been proposed to rename the nap gene of B. subtilis 168 into cesA and the ybfK gene into cesB.     

基于游离质粒的木糖诱导型枯草芽孢杆菌转化体系的建立及其应用

枯草芽孢杆菌（Bacillus subtilis）作为食品级安全菌株,因其具有理化特征清晰、培养发酵方便等特点,广泛应用于异源蛋白质的高效表达以及高附加值物质的合成。传统的B. subtilis遗传转化方法存在操作流程繁琐、效率低等缺点,因此,开发方便高效的遗传转化系统具有重要意义。转录因子ComK被证实能调控B. subtilis感受态的形成,并在B. subtilis高效转化中有重要作用。构建1个含有木糖诱导启动子P_xyl调控comK表达的穿梭质粒pUBC01?P_xyl?comK的菌株B. subtilis K1,经木糖诱导条件优化后,质粒pHY300?p43?egfp的转化效率达到4.8×10³ CFU·μg^-1。此外,质粒pUBC01?P_xyl?comK可在无胁迫条件下连续培养及消除。木糖诱导感受态体系及质粒消除极大地提高了芽孢杆菌基因编辑和菌株改造的便捷性,同时增强了菌株尤其是生产菌株的性状稳定性。     

Integrated control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on mango fruit in Taiwan by the combination of Bacillus subtilis and fruit bagging

Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Jingkwang mango grown in Taiwan was significantly reduced by the integration of fruit bagging with either B. subtilis strain LB5 or fungicides. The combined treatments were most effective in reducing early infection during the 2004 season, leading to 56.4 and 58.3% reduction, respectively, while in 2003 reduction accounted for 51 and 52.3%, respectively. Post-harvest application of B. subtilis strain LB5 cell suspensions on fruits already treated by bagging, bagging+LB5 and baggingfungicides in the field reduced anthracnose incidence significantly at all tested concentrations. These results indicate that biocontrol efficacy of B. subtilis LB5 may be due to the prevention of early fruit infection, thereby reducing significantly anthracnose incidence in ripening fruits to much lower levels than those obtained by using a conventional single post-harvest treatment.     

PVA-biocatalyst with entrapped viable Bacillus subtilis cells

Bacillus subtilis cells were entrapped in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-cryogel beads without decay in their viability and capability of secretion of proteolytic enzymes (metalloproteinase and subtilisin). Conditions for preparation of the PVA-biocatalyst with suitable stability and viability of B. subtilis cells were optimized. Diffusion of various compounds into the cryogel (sliced beads) has been monitored on-line using image analysis system. Optimal working conditions and kinetic constants for hydrolysis of proteins catalyzed by the PVA-biocatalyst containing whole B. subtilis cells were estimated. The PVA-biocatalyst was applied in the hydrolysis of casein. The productivity of the biocatalyst (expressed as an amount of liberated aromatic amino acids) reached a maximal level of 12 mg g⁻¹ h⁻¹. Composition of mixture of peptides was dependent on pH, concentrations of Na⁺ and glucose, and in the reaction milieu. Protein hydrolysates of desired composition can be obtained using B. subtilis viable cells immobilized in PVA-gel. Incubation of the immobilized cells in a nutrient medium with casein successfully regenerated proteolytic activity of the biocatalyst.     

Cloning and production of Xylanase B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis in Bacillus subtilis hosts

Xylanase B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis was cloned in shuttle vectors for Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and expressed in Bacillus hosts. Several recombinant strains were constructed, among which B. subtilis MW15/pRBSPOX20 showed the highest production. This recombinant strain consists of a protease double mutant host containing P. barcinonensis xynB gene under the control of a phage SPO2 strong promoter. Maximum production was found when the strain was cultured in nutrient broth supplemented with xylans. Analysis of xylanase B location in B. subtilis MW15/pRBSPOX20 showed that the enzyme remained cell-associated in young cultures, consistent with its intracellular location in its original host, P. barcinonensis, and the lack of a signal peptide. However, when cultures reached the stationary phase, xylanase B was released to the external medium as a result of cell lysis. The amount of enzyme located in the supernatants of old cultures could account for 50% of total xylanase activity. Analysis by SDS-PAGE showed that xylanase B is an abundant protein found in the culture medium in late stationary phase cultures.     

Expression of human dihydrofolate reductase cDNA and its induction by chloramphenicol in Bacillus subtilis

A bifunctional plasmid (pMP358) able to replicate and to express cloned human dihydrofolate reductase cDNA (cDHFR) in both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis was constructed. The expression of cDHFR in B. subtilis was the result of a deletion that placed the cDNA fragment under the control of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene promoter of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pC194. By sequence analysis of plasmid pMP358, we observed a gene fusion occurring between the cDHFR and the 32nd codon of the CAT gene. We report that such a “hybrid” gene is able to direct the synthesis of a 25-kDal “hybrid” protein, which was found to be inducible by supplementing B. subtilis cells with sublethal doses of chloramphenicol.     

Effect of temperature change and aeration on the production of the antifungal peptide antibiotic iturin by Bacillus subtilis NB22 in liquid cultivation

The effects of temperature and air supply on the production of the antifungal lipopeptide antibiotic, iturin by Bacillus subtilis NB22 in a 5-d course of liquid cultivation were investigated on a flask scale. Changing the temperature from 30°C to 25, 37, 42, or 48°C for one day during the 5-d cultivation reduced the amount of iturin producted in comparison with cultivation at a constant 30°C. The temperature on the first day was notably critical. When the air supply was varied by changing the plugs of the shaking flasks, the air supply was also critical on the first day. When cells spent the first day with an inappropriate temperature or air supply, the decrease in iturin production could not be compensated for during the subsequent 4-d cultivation at an adequate temperature and air supply. Although iturin production was significant on the second and third days when the growth of the bacterium had leveled off, the initial conditions severely affected the yield of the product.     

Targeting the Bacillus subtilis genome: an efficient and clean method for gene disruption

A method to disrupt multiple Bacillus subtilis genes is described. A resistance cassette is used to interrupt an amplified target sequence from the B. subtilis chromosome. The cassette is composed of a gene conferring resistance to chloramphenicol (Cm) or spectinomycin (Sp) flanked by two directly oriented β cognate sites (six site) (SCS or SSS, respectively). The linearized construct is used to transform B. subtilis competent cells with selection for Cm or Sp resistance. Transformants with the desired gene disrupted by the SCS or SSS cassette, integrated by a double cross-over event, were confirmed by PCR analysis. A segregationally unstable plasmid-borne β site-specific recombinase is transferred into the background. Protein β catalyzes excision of the intervening sequence between the two six sites leading to a target gene disrupted only by a six site. This site has an internal promoter capable of reading downstream genes. To generate multiple disruptions, the cycle can be repeated many times provided that two six sites are separated by about a 70-kb interval.