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Volume 155, Issue 2

Identification of genes required for different stages of dendritic swarming in , with a novel role for Free

Abstract

Highly branched dendritic swarming of on synthetic B-medium involves a developmental-like process that is absolutely dependent on flagella and surfactin secretion. In order to identify new swarming genes, we targeted the two-component ComPA signalling pathway and associated global regulators. In liquid cultures, the histidine kinase ComP, and the response regulator ComA, respond to secreted pheromones ComX and CSF (encoded by ) in order to control production of surfactin synthases and ComS (competence regulator). In this study, for what is believed to be the first time, we established that distinct early stages of dendritic swarming can be clearly defined, and that they are amenable to genetic analysis. In a mutational analysis producing several mutants with distinctive phenotypes, we were able to assign the genes (activation of surfactin synthases), and (global regulators), (flagellin), and (-like), (motility), to the different swarming stages. Surprisingly, mutations in genes , and , which are normally indispensable for import of CSF, had only modest effects, if any, on swarming and surfactin production. Therefore, during dendritic swarming, surfactin synthesis is apparently subject to novel regulation that is largely independent of the ComXP pathway; we discuss possible alternative mechanisms for driving transcription. We showed that the mutant, largely independent of any effect on surfactin production, was also, nevertheless, blocked early in swarming, forming stunted dendrites, with abnormal dendrite initiation morphology. In a mixed swarm co-inoculated with and (GFP), an apparently normal swarm was produced. In fact, while initiation of all dendrites was of the abnormal type, these were predominantly populated by cells, which migrated faster than the cells. This and other results indicated a specific migration defect in the mutant that could not be -complemented by CSF in a mixed swarm. CSF is the C-terminal pentapeptide of the surface-exposed PhrC pre-peptide and we propose that the residual PhrC 35 aa residue peptide anchored in the exterior of the cytoplasmic membrane has an apparently novel extracellular role in swarming.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Revised:
  • Published Online:
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2009-02-01
2024-04-20
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Identification of genes required for different stages of dendritic swarming in Bacillus subtilis, with a novel role for phrC
Microbiology 155, 398 (2009); https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.021477-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.021477-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.021477-0
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