The sporulation transcription factor Spo0A is required for biofilm development in <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>

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公開日
2001-12
権利情報
  • http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor
DOI
  • 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2001.02709.x
公開者
Wiley

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説明

<jats:p>Biofilms are structured communities of cells encased in a polymeric matrix and adherent to a surface, interface or each other. We report here that the soil bacterium <jats:italic>Bacillus subtilis</jats:italic> forms biofilms. By confocal scanning laser microscopy, we observed that <jats:italic>B. subtilis</jats:italic> adhered to abiotic surfaces and formed a three‐dimensional structure ≥ 30 µm in depth. These biofilms appeared to be at least partly encased in an extracellular polysaccharide matrix, as they could be stained with Calcofluor, a polysaccharide‐binding dye. To understand the molecular mechanism of biofilm formation, we screened previously characterized mutants for a defect in biofilm formation. We found that mutations in <jats:italic>spo0A</jats:italic>, which encodes the major early sporulation transcription factor, caused a defect in biofilm formation. <jats:italic>spo0A</jats:italic> mutant cells adhered to a surface in a monolayer of cells rather than a three‐dimensional biofilm. The requirement of Spo0A for biofilm development appears to result from its role in negatively regulating AbrB. Mutations in <jats:italic>abrB</jats:italic> suppressed the biofilm defect of a <jats:italic>spo0A</jats:italic> mutant, indicating that AbrB negatively regulates at least one gene that is required for the transition from a monolayer of attached cells to a mature biofilm. Implications of biofilm development for the ecology of <jats:italic>B. subtilis</jats:italic> are discussed.</jats:p>

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