Restriction on Conjugational Transfer of pLS20 in Bacillus subtilis 168

Conjugational transfer of pLS20 in Bacillus subtilis Marburg 168 is restricted by the BsuM restriction-modification system. Restriction efficiency was measured using pLS20 derivatives possessing various numbers of XhoI sites, which are known to be recognized by BsuM. An increase in XhoI sites clearly reduced the conjugational efficiency of pLS20 as compared with that of pUB110 plasmid lacking XhoI.     

Restriction and modification of bacteriophage SP10 DNA by Bacillus subtilis Marburg 168: stabilization of SP10 DNA in restricting hosts preinfected with a heterologous phage, SP18.

SP10 phage cannot propagate in Bacillus subtilis Marburg 168 containing the wild-type allele of either gene nonA or gene nonB. The latter gene codes for the intrinsic cellular restriction activity. SP10 DNA was degraded in nonB+ derivatives of Marburg 168. The degree of degradation depended upon the previous host in which SP10 was propagated. In the case of SP10 grown in B. subtilis W23 (a nonrestricting, nonmodifying bacterium), 90% of the phage DNA was hydrolyzed to acid solubles, and the residual acid-precipitable material was recovered as 0.5- to 1-megadalton fragments. In contrast, if SP10 was propagated in B. subtilis PS9W7 (a nonA nonB derivative of Marburg 168 that retains modifying activity), 40 to 50% of the input DNA was degraded to acid solubles, and most of the remainder was recovered as 15- to 20-megadalton fragments. In nonA+ nonB cells, SP10 DNA was conserved as unit-length molecules (ca. 80 megadalton). Prior infection of nonB+ cells with SP18 protected superinfecting SP10 DNA, even when rifampin or chloramphenicol was added before the primary infection. The data are discussed in terms of the following conclusions. (i) The nonB gene product of B. subtilis Marburg 168 is required for restriction of SP10 DNA. (ii) Some sites on SP10 DNA are sensitive to both the restricting and modifying activities, whereas other sites are nonmodifiable even though they are sensitive to the restriction enzyme. (iii) In some manner, SP18 antagonizes the action of the nonB gene product.     

Identification of the nonA and nonB loci of Bacillus subtilis Marburg permitting the growth of SP10 phage

Mutational inactivation of both nonA and nonB genes are required for the permissiveness of Bacillus subtilis Marburg cells to infection by phage SP10. By transformational analysis of the nonA strain with DNAs from gently lysed protoplasts carrying the integrative plasmid pMUTIN (em) insertions in every 20 kb along the whole chromosome, we have identified the nonA to be the cured state of endogenous prophage SPbeta. Direct DNA sequencing, on the other hand, revealed one nonsense mutation of nonB in ydiR, which is a component gene of the intrinsic restriction system BsuMR of B.subtilis Marburg. Introduction of the wild type ydiR into the nonB strain at aprE locus resulted in complementation of nonB. Furthermore, as the SP10 genome was found to possess multiple BsuM target sites, it is considered that SP10 can infect and multiply in B.subtilis cells, which are SPbeta free and possess a defective BsuMR restriction system.     

富含蛋氨酸玉米醇溶蛋白在枯草芽胞杆菌中的表达

蛋氨酸是畜禽饲料中的第一限制性氨基酸,也是饲料产品进行质量控制与质量评价最为关注的指标之一。利用基因工程方法,从玉米胚乳中克隆高蛋氨酸蛋白基因（10kuδzein）,与pHT43构建重组表达质粒,将其转入枯草芽胞杆菌中,IPTG诱导其表达,发现重组菌在26ku处出现了1条明显条带。HPLC检测蛋氨酸含量,重组菌的蛋氨酸含量比野生型菌株提高了20．51％。该重组菌为以后将其做为饲料添加剂进一步应用提供了技术基础。     

Aerobic chromate reduction by Bacillus subtilis

We have studied the reduction of hexavalent chromium (chromate) to the less toxic trivalent form by using cell suspensions and cell-free extracts from the common soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis was able to grow and reduce chromate at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 1 mM K₂CrO₄. Chromate reduction was not affected by a 20-fold excess of nitrate-compound that serves as alternate electron acceptor and antagonizes chromate reduction by anaerobic bacteria. Metabolic poisons including sodium azide and sodium cyanide inhibited chromate reduction. Reduction was effected by a constitutive system associated with the soluble protein fraction and not with the membrane fraction. The reducing activity was heat labile and showed a K_m of 188 m CrO₄ ^2-. The reductase can mediate the transfer of electrons from NAD(P)H to chromate. The results suggest that chromate is reduced via a detoxification system rather than dissimilatory electron transport.     

Cloning in Bacillus subtilis of temperature-dependent promoter fragments from Bacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis

Abstract Using promoter-probe plasmids, more than 200 promoter-containing fragments from Bacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis were cloned in B. subtilis . Among these, 15 promoter fragments were highly temperature-dependent in activity compared to the promoter sequence (TTGAAA for the −35 region, TATAAT for the −10 region) of the amylase gene, amyT , from B. stearothermophilus . Some fragments exhibited higher promoter activities at elevated temperature (48°C), others showed higher activities at lower temperature (30°C). Active promoter fragments at higher and lower temperatures were obtained mainly from the thermophile ( B. stearothermophilus ) and the mesophile ( B. subtilis ), respectively. A promoter fragment active at high temperature was sequenced, and the feature of the putative promoter region was discussed.     

Restriction and modification in Bacillus subtilis: sequence specificities of restriction/modification systems BsuM, BsuE, and BsuF.

The sequence specificities of three Bacillus subtilis restriction/modification systems were established: (i) BsuM (CTCGAG), an isoschizomer to XhoI; (ii) BsuE (CGCG), an isoschizomer to FnuDII; and (iii) BsuF (CCGG), an isoschizomer to MspI, HpaII. The BsuM modification enzyme methylates the 3' cytosine of the recognition sequence. The BsuF modification enzyme methylates the 5' cytosine of the sequence, rendering such sites resistant to MspI degradation and leaving the majority of sites sensitive to HpaII degradation.     

枯草芽孢杆菌JA脂肽类及挥发性物质抑菌效应的研究

枯草芽孢杆菌JA产生的脂肽类抗生素对植物病原真菌有广谱抗性。将发酵液经过酸沉淀、甲醇抽提以及反相高效液相色谱等步骤, 分离得到脂肽类抗生素的纯品。经IC50实验和抗菌谱测定, 考察了脂肽类抗生素对多种植物病原菌的作用, 确定了脂肽类抗生素的抗菌谱。深入研究表明, 枯草芽孢杆菌JA还产生未知成分的挥发性抑菌物质, 能够抑制灰霉病菌孢子的萌发和菌丝的生长。脂肽类抗生素和挥发性抑菌物质的协同作用, 有助于提高枯草芽孢杆菌的生物防治效果。     

Crystal structure of Bacillus subtilis SPP1 phage gp23.1, a putative chaperone

SPP1 is a siphophage infecting the gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. The SPP1 tail electron microscopy (EM) reconstruction revealed that it is mainly constituted by conserved structural proteins such as the major tail proteins (gp17.1), the tape measure protein (gp18), the Distal tail protein (Dit, gp19.1), and the Tail associated lysin (gp21). A group of five small genes (22–24.1) follows in the genome but it remains to be elucidated whether their protein products belong or not to the tail. Noteworthy, an unassigned EM density accounting for ～245 kDa is present at the distal end of the SPP1 tail‐tip. We report here the gp23.1 crystal structure at 1.6 Å resolution, a protein that lacks sequence identity to any known protein. We found that gp23.1 forms a hexamer both in the crystal lattice and in solution as revealed by light scattering measurements. The gp23.1 hexamer does not fit well in the unassigned SPP1 tail‐tip EM density and we hypothesize that this protein might act as a chaperone.     

枯草芽孢杆菌JA脂肽类及挥发性物质抑菌效应的研究

枯草芽孢杆菌JA产生的脂肽类抗生素对植物病原真菌有广谱抗性.将发酵液经过酸沉淀、甲醇抽提以及反相高效液相色谱等步骤,分离得到脂肽类抗生素的纯品.经IC50实验和抗菌谱测定,考察了脂肽类抗生素对多种植物病原菌的作用,确定了脂肽类抗生素的抗菌谱.深入研究表明,枯草芽孢杆菌JA还产生未知成分的挥发性抑菌物质,能够抑制灰霉病菌孢子的萌发和菌丝的生长.脂肽类抗生素和挥发性抑菌物质的协同作用,有助于提高枯草芽孢杆菌的生物防治效果.     

枯草芽孢杆菌在抑制植物病原菌中的研究进展

枯草芽孢杆菌是芽孢杆菌中比较具应用潜力的菌种之一。近年来国内外对于芽孢杆菌各方面应用的研究日益增多,枯草芽孢杆菌作为一种生防细菌越来越引起人们的关注。主要综述了枯草芽孢杆菌在抑制植物病原菌生物防治领域的研究进展,阐述了枯草芽孢杆菌的控病作用机制,包括竞争作用、拮抗作用、溶茵作用、诱导植物产生抗性及促进植物生长5个方面。简要介绍了枯草芽孢杆菌及其制剂在国内外的应用情况及在植物病害防治应用中存在的问题、解决措施及发展前景。     

Restriction and modification in Bacillus subtilis Marburg 168: target sites and effects on plasmid transformation

Summary The effects of the restriction system of Bacillus subtilis strain M on plasmid transformation were studied. Plasmid pHV1401 DNA prepared from B. subtilis transformed the restriction-proficient M strain 100 times more efficiently than the DNA prepared from Escherichia coli, while the two DNA preparations transformed restriction-deficient derivatives of that strain with similar efficiencies. This indicates that transformation with pHV1401 is sensitive to the M restriction system. pHV1401 contains three CTCGAG (XhoI sites). Successive removal of these abolished the effect of restriction. This indicates that the XhoI sites are the targets for the M restriction system.Abbreviations used Ap^r resistance to ampicillin - Cm^r resistance to chloramphenicol - R/M restriction and modification - Tc^r resistance to tetracycline     

同源重组法构建枯草芽孢杆菌转酮酶缺失突变菌株

采用同源重组法高效构建枯草芽孢杆菌转酮酶(tkt)缺失突变株。以大肠杆菌(E.coliDH5α)质粒pBlUSKM为框架,构建出基于枯草杆菌(B.S104)tkt基因位点的整合载体pb-Trs-n,将此载体重组到Bacillus subtilis104中,从新霉素抗性平板上挑取转化子,整合载体pb-Trs-n的测序结果与Kunst.F报道的tkt基因高度同源(98.9%)。同源重组后,B.S104染色体上的tkt基因(2 004bp)部分与载体pb-Trs-n的neo基因(1 197bp)发生了同源交换,确定了该转化子为枯草芽孢杆菌转酮酶缺失突变株(tkt-,neo),该方法构建枯草芽孢杆菌转酮酶(tkt)缺失突变株是可行的,为D-核糖工程菌的研究奠定了基础。     

Restriction and modification in Bacillus subtilis: identification of a gene in the temperate phage SP beta coding for a BsuR specific modification methyltransferase

Summary A gene coding for a modifying DNA-methyltransferase which methylates the central C in the BsuR recognition sequence 5GGCC was identified in the genome of the temperate Bacillus subtilis phage SP. This gene is expressed only after induction of the prophage by either mitomycin C or UV. The presence of active methyltransferase in induced cells leads to modification of BsuR recognition sites in SP DNA as well as in heterologous DNA.     

Biosurfactant production by a thermophilic Bacillus subtilis strain

A strain of Bacillus subtilis was able to grow and produce a biosurfactant on 2% sucrose at 45°C. As a result of biosurfactant synthesis the surface tension of the medium was reduced from 68 dynes cm⁻¹ to 28 dynes cm⁻¹. The strain had the capacity to produce the biosurfactant at high NaCl concentrations (4%) and a wide range of pH (4.5–10.5). The biosurfactant retained its surface-active properties after heating at 100°C for 2 h and at different pH values (4.5–10.5). A maximum amount of biosurfactant was produced when urea or nitrate ions were supplied as nitrogen source. The use of the biosurfactant at high temperatures, acidic, alkaline and saline environments is discussed. As a result of its action, 62% of oil in a sand pack column could be recovered, indicating its potential application in microbiologically enhanced oil recovery. Received 28 March 1996/ Accepted in revised form 16 September 1996