Sample records for bacillus sporothermodurans em

  1. One-step global parameter estimation of kinetic inactivation parameters for Bacillus sporothermodurans spores under static and dynamic thermal processes.

    PubMed

    Cattani, F; Dolan, K D; Oliveira, S D; Mishra, D K; Ferreira, C A S; Periago, P M; Aznar, A; Fernandez, P S; Valdramidis, V P

    2016-11-01

    Bacillus sporothermodurans produces highly heat-resistant endospores, that can survive under ultra-high temperature. High heat-resistant sporeforming bacteria are one of the main causes for spoilage and safety of low-acid foods. They can be used as indicators or surrogates to establish the minimum requirements for heat processes, but it is necessary to understand their thermal inactivation kinetics. The aim of the present work was to study the inactivation kinetics under both static and dynamic conditions in a vegetable soup. Ordinary least squares one-step regression and sequential procedures were applied for estimating these parameters. Results showed that multiple dynamic heating profiles, when analyzed simultaneously, can be used to accurately estimate the kinetic parameters while significantly reducing estimation errors and data collection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of the medium characteristics and the heating and cooling rates on the nonisothermal heat resistance of Bacillus sporothermodurans IC4 spores.

    PubMed

    Esteban, María-Dolores; Huertas, Juan-Pablo; Fernández, Pablo S; Palop, Alfredo

    2013-05-01

    In recent years, highly thermo-resistant mesophilic spore-forming bacteria belonging to the species Bacillus sporothermodurans have caused non-sterility problems in industrial sterilization processes. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of the heating medium characteristics (pH and buffer/food) on the thermal inactivation of B. sporothermodurans spores when exposed to isothermal and non-isothermal heating and cooling treatments and the suitability of non-linear Weibull and Geeraaerd models to predict the survivors of these thermal treatments. Thermal treatments were carried out in pH 3, 5 and 7 McIlvaine buffer and in a courgette soup. Isothermal survival curves showed shoulders that were accurately characterized by means of both models. A clear effect of the pH of the heating medium was observed, decreasing the D120 value from pH 7 to pH 3 buffer down to one third. Differences in heat resistance were similar, regardless of the model used and were kept at all temperatures tested. The heat resistance in courgette soup was similar to that shown in pH 7 buffer. When the heat resistance values obtained under isothermal conditions were used to predict the survival in the non-isothermical experiments, the predictions estimated the experimental data quite accurately, both with Weibull and Geeraerd models. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Inactivation of Bacillus spores inoculated in milk by Ultra High Pressure Homogenization.

    PubMed

    Amador Espejo, Genaro Gustavo; Hernández-Herrero, M M; Juan, B; Trujillo, A J

    2014-12-01

    Ultra High-Pressure Homogenization treatments at 300 MPa with inlet temperatures (Ti) of 55, 65, 75 and 85 °C were applied to commercial Ultra High Temperature treated whole milk inoculated with Bacillus cereus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus sporothermodurans, Bacillus coagulans, Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis spores in order to evaluate the inactivation level achieved. Ultra High-Pressure Homogenization conditions at 300 MPa with Ti = 75 and 85 °C were capable of a spore inactivation of ∼5 log CFU/mL. Furthermore, under these processing conditions, commercial sterility (evaluated as the complete inactivation of the inoculated spores) was obtained in milk, with the exception of G. stearothermophilus and B. subtilis treated at 300 MPa with Ti = 75 °C. The results showed that G. stearothermophilus and B. subtilis have higher resistance to the Ultra High-Pressure Homogenization treatments applied than the other microorganisms inoculated and that a treatment performed at 300 MPa with Ti = 85 °C was necessary to completely inactivate these microorganisms at the spore level inoculated (∼1 × 10(6) CFU/mL). Besides, a change in the resistance of B. licheniformis, B. sporothermodurans, G. stearothermophilus and B. subtilis spores was observed as the inactivation obtained increased remarkably in treatments performed with Ti between 65 and 75 °C. This study provides important evidence of the suitability of UHPH technology for the inactivation of spores in high numbers, leading to the possibility of obtaining commercially sterile milk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Role of mechanical vs. chemical action in the removal of adherent Bacillus spores during CIP procedures.

    PubMed

    Faille, C; Bénézech, T; Blel, W; Ronse, A; Ronse, G; Clarisse, M; Slomianny, C

    2013-04-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the respective roles of mechanical and chemical effects on the removal of Bacillus spores during cleaning-in-place. This analysis was performed on 12 strains belonging to the Bacillus cereus group (B. cereus, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis) or to less related Bacillus species (Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus sporothermodurans, Bacillus subtilis). Adherent spores were subjected to rinsing-in-place (mechanical action) and cleaning-in-place (mechanical and chemical actions) procedures, the latter involving NaOH 0.5% at 60°C. Results revealed that mechanical action alone only removed between 53 and 89% of the attached spores at a shear stress of 500 Pa. This resistance to shear was not related to spore surface properties. Conversely, in the presence of NaOH at a shear stress of 4 Pa, spores were readily detached, with between 80 and 99% of the adherent spores detached during CIP and the chemical action greatly depended on the strain. This finding suggests that chemical action plays the major role during CIP, whose efficacy is significantly governed by the spore surface chemistry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Strong and consistently synergistic inactivation of spores of spoilage-associated Bacillus and Geobacillus spp. by high pressure and heat compared with inactivation by heat alone.

    PubMed

    Olivier, S A; Bull, M K; Stone, G; van Diepenbeek, R J; Kormelink, F; Jacops, L; Chapman, B

    2011-04-01

    The inactivation of spores of four low-acid food spoilage organisms by high pressure thermal (HPT) and thermal-only processing was compared on the basis of equivalent thermal lethality calculated at a reference temperature of 121.1°C (F(z)(121.1)(°)(C, 0.1 MPa or 600 MPa)) and characterized as synergistic, not different or protective. In addition, the relative resistances of spores of the different spoilage microorganisms to HPT processing were compared. Processing was performed and inactivation was compared in both laboratory and pilot scale systems and in model (diluted) and actual food products. Where statistical comparisons could be made, at least 4 times and up to around 190 times more inactivation (log(10) reduction/minute at F(T)(z)(121.1)(°)(C)) of spores of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus sporothermodurans, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus was achieved using HPT, indicating a strong synergistic effect of high pressure and heat. Bacillus coagulans spores were also synergistically inactivated in diluted and undiluted Bolognese sauce but were protected by pressure against thermal inactivation in undiluted cream sauce. Irrespective of the response characterization, B. coagulans and B. sporothermodurans were identified as the most HPT-resistant isolates in the pilot scale and laboratory scale studies, respectively, and G. stearothermophilus as the least in both studies and all products. This is the first study to comprehensively quantitatively characterize the responses of a range of spores of spoilage microorganisms as synergistic (or otherwise) using an integrated thermal-lethality approach (F(T)(z)). The use of the F(T)(z) approach is ultimately important for the translation of commercial minimum microbiologically safe and stable thermal processes to HPT processes.

  6. Strong and Consistently Synergistic Inactivation of Spores of Spoilage-Associated Bacillus and Geobacillus spp. by High Pressure and Heat Compared with Inactivation by Heat Alone ▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Olivier, S. A.; Bull, M. K.; Stone, G.; van Diepenbeek, R. J.; Kormelink, F.; Jacops, L.; Chapman, B.

    2011-01-01

    The inactivation of spores of four low-acid food spoilage organisms by high pressure thermal (HPT) and thermal-only processing was compared on the basis of equivalent thermal lethality calculated at a reference temperature of 121.1°C (Fz121.1°C, 0.1 MPa or 600 MPa) and characterized as synergistic, not different or protective. In addition, the relative resistances of spores of the different spoilage microorganisms to HPT processing were compared. Processing was performed and inactivation was compared in both laboratory and pilot scale systems and in model (diluted) and actual food products. Where statistical comparisons could be made, at least 4 times and up to around 190 times more inactivation (log10 reduction/minute at FTz121.1°C) of spores of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus sporothermodurans, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus was achieved using HPT, indicating a strong synergistic effect of high pressure and heat. Bacillus coagulans spores were also synergistically inactivated in diluted and undiluted Bolognese sauce but were protected by pressure against thermal inactivation in undiluted cream sauce. Irrespective of the response characterization, B. coagulans and B. sporothermodurans were identified as the most HPT-resistant isolates in the pilot scale and laboratory scale studies, respectively, and G. stearothermophilus as the least in both studies and all products. This is the first study to comprehensively quantitatively characterize the responses of a range of spores of spoilage microorganisms as synergistic (or otherwise) using an integrated thermal-lethality approach (FTz). The use of the FTz approach is ultimately important for the translation of commercial minimum microbiologically safe and stable thermal processes to HPT processes. PMID:21278265

  7. Enterotoxins and emetic toxins production by Bacillus cereus and other species of Bacillus isolated from Soumbala and Bikalga, African alkaline fermented food condiments.

    PubMed

    Ouoba, Labia Irene I; Thorsen, Line; Varnam, Alan H

    2008-06-10

    The ability of various species of Bacillus from fermented seeds of Parkia biglobosa known as African locust bean (Soumbala) and fermented seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Bikalga) was investigated. The study included screening of the isolates by haemolysis on blood agar, detection of toxins in broth and during the fermentation of African locust bean using the Bacillus cereus Enterotoxin Reverse Passive Latex Agglutination test kit (BCET-RPLA) and the Bacillus Diarrhoeal Enterotoxin Visual Immunoassay (BDEVIA). Detection of genes encoding cytotoxin K (CytK), haemolysin BL (Hbl A, Hbl C, Hbl D), non-hemolytic enterotoxin (NheA, NheB, NheC) and EM1 specific of emetic toxin producers was also investigated using PCR with single pair and multiplex primers. Of 41 isolates, 29 Bacillus belonging to the species of B. cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus pumilus showed haemolysis on blood agar. Using RPLA, enterotoxin production was detected for three isolates of B. cereus in broth and all B. cereus (9) in fermented seeds. Using BDEVIA, enterotoxin production was detected in broth as well as in fermented seeds for all B. cereus isolates. None of the isolates belonging to the other Bacillus species was able to produce enterotoxins either by RPLA or BDEVIA. Nhe genes were detected in all B. cereus while Hbl and CytK genes were detected respectively in five and six B. cereus strains. A weak presence of Hbl (A, D) and CytK genes was detected in two isolates of B. subtilis and one of B. licheniformis but results were inconsistent, especially for Hbl genes. The emetic specific gene fragment EM1 was not detected in any of the isolates studied.

  8. INACTIVATION OF BACILLUS GLOBIGII BY CHLORINATION: A HIERARCHICAL BAYESIAN MODEL

    EPA Science Inventory

    Recent events where spores of <EM>Bacillus> anthracis have been used as a bioterrorist weapon have prompted interest in determining the resistance of this organism to commonly used disinfectants, such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide and ozone. This work was undertaken to study ...

  9. Bacillus velezensis is not a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens; Bacillus methylotrophicus, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp plantarum and ‘Bacillus oryzicola’ are later heterotypic synonyms of Bacillus

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The rhizosphere isolated bacteria belonging to the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum and Bacillus methylotrophicus clades are an important group of strains that are used as plant growth promoters and antagonists of plant pathogens. These properties have made these strains the focus of comm...

  10. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERS AND PATHOGENESIS OF BACILLUS X (STERNBERG), BACILLUS ICTEROIDES (SANARELLI), AND THE HOG-CHOLERA BACILLUS (SALMON AND SMITH)

    PubMed Central

    Reed, Walter; Carroll, James

    1900-01-01

    1. Bacillus X (Sternberg) belongs to the colon group. 2. Bacillus icteroides (Sanarelli) is a member of the hog-cholera group. 3. The various channels of infection, the duration of the disease and the gross and microscopical lesions in mice, guinea-pigs and rabbits are the same for Bacillus icteroides and the hog-cholera bacillus. 4. The clinical symptoms and the lesions observed in dogs inoculated intravenously with Bacillus icteroides, are reproduced in these animals by infection with the hog-cholera bacillus. 5. Bacillus icteroides when fed to the domestic pig causes fatal infection, accompanied by diphtheritic, necrotic and ulcerative lesions in the digestive tract, such as are seen in hogs when infected with the hog-cholera bacillus. 6. This disease may be acquired by exposing swine in pens already infected with Bacillus icteroides, or by feeding them with the viscera of infected pigs. 7. Guinea-pigs may be immunized with sterilized cultures ofBacillus icteroides from a fatal dose of the hog-cholera bacillus and vice versa. 8. Rabbits may be rendered immune by gradually increasing doses of a living culture of Bacillus icteroides of weak virulence from a fatal dose of a virulent culture of the hog-cholera bacillus 9. The sera of animals immunized with Bacillus icteroides and with the hog-cholera bacillus, respectively, show a marked reciprocal agglutinative reaction. 10. While the blood of yellow fever practically does not exercise an agglutinative reaction upon Bacillus icteroides, the blood of hog-cholera agglutinates this bacillus in a much more marked degree, thus pointing, we think, to the closer etiological relationship of this bacillus to hog-cholera than to yellow fever. PMID:19866945

  11. Study of mural painting isolates, leading to the transfer of 'Bacillus maroccanus' and 'Bacillus carotarum' to Bacillus simplex, emended description of Bacillus simplex, re-examination of the strains previously attributed to 'Bacillus macroides' and description of Bacillus muralis sp. nov.

    PubMed

    Heyrman, Jeroen; Logan, Niall A; Rodríguez-Díaz, Marina; Scheldeman, Patsy; Lebbe, Liesbeth; Swings, Jean; Heyndrickx, Marc; De Vos, Paul

    2005-01-01

    A group of 24 strains was isolated from deteriorated mural paintings situated in Spain (necropolis of Carmona) and Germany (church of Greene-Kreiensen). (GTG)5-PCR genomic fingerprinting was performed on these strains to assess their genomic variability and the strains were delineated into four groups. Representatives were studied by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and were found to be closely related to Bacillus simplex and the species 'Bacillus macroides' (strain NCIMB 8796) and 'Bacillus maroccanus' (names not validly published) according to a fasta search. The close similarity between B. simplex, 'B. macroides' NCIMB 8796, 'B. maroccanus' and the mural painting isolates was confirmed by additional (GTG)5-PCR, ARDRA, FAME and SDS-PAGE analyses. Furthermore, these techniques revealed that strains of 'Bacillus carotarum', another name that has not been validly published, also showed high similarity to this group of organisms. On the other hand, it was shown that the strains labelled 'B. macroides' in different collections do not all belong to the same species. Strain NCIMB 8796 can be allocated to B. simplex, while strain DSM 54 (=ATCC 12905) shares the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Bacillus sphaericus and Bacillus fusiformis (both around 98.6 %). On the basis of further DNA-DNA hybridization data and the study of phenotypic characteristics, one group of five mural painting strains was attributed to a novel species in the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus muralis sp. nov. is proposed. Finally, the remaining mural painting strains, one (LMG 18508=NCIMB 8796) of two strains belonging to 'B. macroides' and strains belonging to 'B. maroccanus' and 'B. carotarum' are allocated to the species B. simplex and an emended description of B. simplex is given.

  12. Differentiation of Bacillus Anthracis and Other Bacillus Species by Use of Lectins

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-07-18

    TITL9 fAnd Subtfitle) S.TypeO REPORT gi PZRCC rvt 4 DIFFERENTIATION OF BACIL-LUSg’ ANTHRAtgACIS D OTHER BACILLUS , SPECIES BY-USE OYLECTINS" Inter[im...Ricinus communis. Some strains of Bacillus cer-eus var. m-ycoides (B. Mycoides) were strongly reactive with the lectin from Helbi pomtia and weakly reacti...ve with the Glycine max lectin. The differential iCnteractions between Bacillus species and lectins af forded a means of distinguishing B. anthracis

  13. Phages Preying on Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis: Past, Present and Future

    PubMed Central

    Gillis, Annika; Mahillon, Jacques

    2014-01-01

    Many bacteriophages (phages) have been widely studied due to their major role in virulence evolution of bacterial pathogens. However, less attention has been paid to phages preying on bacteria from the Bacillus cereus group and their contribution to the bacterial genetic pool has been disregarded. Therefore, this review brings together the main information for the B. cereus group phages, from their discovery to their modern biotechnological applications. A special focus is given to phages infecting Bacillus anthracis, B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis. These phages belong to the Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Podoviridae and Tectiviridae families. For the sake of clarity, several phage categories have been made according to significant characteristics such as lifestyles and lysogenic states. The main categories comprise the transducing phages, phages with a chromosomal or plasmidial prophage state, γ-like phages and jumbo-phages. The current genomic characterization of some of these phages is also addressed throughout this work and some promising applications are discussed here. PMID:25010767

  14. Bacillus infantis sp. nov. and Bacillus idriensis sp. nov., isolated from a patient with neonatal sepsis.

    PubMed

    Ko, Kwan Soo; Oh, Won Sup; Lee, Mi Young; Lee, Jang Ho; Lee, Hyuck; Peck, Kyong Ran; Lee, Nam Yong; Song, Jae-Hoon

    2006-11-01

    Two Gram-positive bacilli, designated as strains SMC 4352-1T and SMC 4352-2T, were isolated sequentially from the blood of a newborn child with sepsis. They could not be identified by using conventional clinical microbiological methods. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that both strains belonged to the genus Bacillus but clearly diverged from known Bacillus species. Strain SMC 4352-1T and strain SMC 4352-2T were found to be closely related to Bacillus firmus NCIMB 9366T (98.2% sequence similarity) and Bacillus cibi JG-30T (97.1% sequence similarity), respectively. They also displayed low DNA-DNA reassociation values (less than 40%) with respect to the most closely related Bacillus species. On the basis of their polyphasic characteristics, strain SMC 4352-1T and strain SMC 4352-2T represent two novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the names Bacillus infantis sp. nov. (type strain SMC 4352-1T=KCCM 90025T=JCM 13438T) and Bacillus idriensis sp. nov. (type strain SMC 4352-2T=KCCM 90024T=JCM 13437T) are proposed.

  15. Comparative sequence analyses on the 16S rRNA (rDNA) of Bacillus acidocaldarius, Bacillus acidoterrestris, and Bacillus cycloheptanicus and proposal for creation of a new genus, Alicyclobacillus gen. nov

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wisotzkey, J. D.; Jurtshuk, P. Jr; Fox, G. E.; Deinhard, G.; Poralla, K.

    1992-01-01

    Comparative 16S rRNA (rDNA) sequence analyses performed on the thermophilic Bacillus species Bacillus acidocaldarius, Bacillus acidoterrestris, and Bacillus cycloheptanicus revealed that these organisms are sufficiently different from the traditional Bacillus species to warrant reclassification in a new genus, Alicyclobacillus gen. nov. An analysis of 16S rRNA sequences established that these three thermoacidophiles cluster in a group that differs markedly from both the obligately thermophilic organisms Bacillus stearothermophilus and the facultatively thermophilic organism Bacillus coagulans, as well as many other common mesophilic and thermophilic Bacillus species. The thermoacidophilic Bacillus species B. acidocaldarius, B. acidoterrestris, and B. cycloheptanicus also are unique in that they possess omega-alicylic fatty acid as the major natural membranous lipid component, which is a rare phenotype that has not been found in any other Bacillus species characterized to date. This phenotype, along with the 16S rRNA sequence data, suggests that these thermoacidophiles are biochemically and genetically unique and supports the proposal that they should be reclassified in the new genus Alicyclobacillus.

  16. Complete Genomes of Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, Two Phylogenetically Distinct Probiotics.

    PubMed

    Khatri, Indu; Sharma, Shailza; Ramya, T N C; Subramanian, Srikrishna

    2016-01-01

    Several spore-forming strains of Bacillus are marketed as probiotics due to their ability to survive harsh gastrointestinal conditions and confer health benefits to the host. We report the complete genomes of two commercially available probiotics, Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, and compare them with the genomes of other Bacillus and Lactobacillus. The taxonomic position of both organisms was established with a maximum-likelihood tree based on twenty six housekeeping proteins. Analysis of all probiotic strains of Bacillus and Lactobacillus reveal that the essential sporulation proteins are conserved in all Bacillus probiotic strains while they are absent in Lactobacillus spp. We identified various antibiotic resistance, stress-related, and adhesion-related domains in these organisms, which likely provide support in exerting probiotic action by enabling adhesion to host epithelial cells and survival during antibiotic treatment and harsh conditions.

  17. Bacillus odysseyi isolate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    La Duc, Myron Thomas (Inventor); Venkateswaran, Kasthuri (Inventor)

    2007-01-01

    The present invention relates to discovery and isolation of a biologically pure culture of a Bacillus odysseyi isolate with high adherence and sterilization resistant properties. B. odysseyi is a round spore forming Bacillus species that produces an exosporium. This novel species has been characterized on the basis of phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization. According to the results of these analyses, this strain belongs to the genus Bacillus and the type strain is 34hs-1.sup.T (=ATCC PTA-4993.sup.T=NRRL B-30641.sup.T=NBRC 100172.sup.T). The GenBank accession number for the 16S rDNA sequence of strain 34hs-1.sup.T is AF526913.

  18. Complete Genomes of Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, Two Phylogenetically Distinct Probiotics

    PubMed Central

    Ramya, T. N. C.; Subramanian, Srikrishna

    2016-01-01

    Several spore-forming strains of Bacillus are marketed as probiotics due to their ability to survive harsh gastrointestinal conditions and confer health benefits to the host. We report the complete genomes of two commercially available probiotics, Bacillus coagulans S-lac and Bacillus subtilis TO-A JPC, and compare them with the genomes of other Bacillus and Lactobacillus. The taxonomic position of both organisms was established with a maximum-likelihood tree based on twenty six housekeeping proteins. Analysis of all probiotic strains of Bacillus and Lactobacillus reveal that the essential sporulation proteins are conserved in all Bacillus probiotic strains while they are absent in Lactobacillus spp. We identified various antibiotic resistance, stress-related, and adhesion-related domains in these organisms, which likely provide support in exerting probiotic action by enabling adhesion to host epithelial cells and survival during antibiotic treatment and harsh conditions. PMID:27258038

  19. Purification, Characterization and Comparison between Two New L-asparaginases from Bacillus PG03 and Bacillus PG04

    PubMed Central

    Rahimzadeh, Mahsa; Poodat, Manijeh; Javadpour, Sedigheh; Qeshmi, Fatemeh Izadpanah; Shamsipour, Fereshteh

    2016-01-01

    Background: L-asparaginase has been used as a chemotherapeutic agent in treatment of lymphoblastic leukemia. In the present investigation, Bacillus sp. PG03 and Bacillus sp. PG04 were studied. Methods: L- asparaginases were produced using different culture media and were purified using ion exchange chromatography. Results: Maximum productivity was obtained when asparagine was used as the nitrogen source at pH 7 and 48 h after cultivation. New intracellular L-asparaginases showed an apparent molecular weight of 25 kDa and 30 kDa by SDS-PAGE respectively. These enzymes were active in a wide pH range (3-9) with maximum activity at pH 6 for Bacillus PG03 and pH 7 for Bacillus PG04 L-asparaginase. Bacillus PG03 enzyme was optimally active at 37 ˚C and Bacillus PG04 maximum activity was observed at 40˚C. Kinetic parameters km and Vmax of both enzymes were studied using L-asparagine as the substrate. Thermal inactivation studies of Bacillus PG03 and Bacillus PG04 L-asparaginase exhibited t1/2 of 69.3 min and 34.6 min in 37 ˚C respectively. Also T50 and ∆G of inactivation were measured for both enzymes. Conclusion: The results revealed that both enzymes had appropriate characteristics and thus could be a potential candidate for medical applications. PMID:27999622

  20. Tracking spore-forming bacteria in food: from natural biodiversity to selection by processes.

    PubMed

    Postollec, Florence; Mathot, Anne-Gabrielle; Bernard, Muriel; Divanac'h, Marie-Laure; Pavan, Sonia; Sohier, Danièle

    2012-08-01

    Sporeforming bacteria are ubiquitous in the environment and exhibit a wide range of diversity leading to their natural prevalence in foodstuff. The state of the art of sporeformer prevalence in ingredients and food was investigated using a multiparametric PCR-based tool that enables simultaneous detection and identification of various genera and species mostly encountered in food, i.e., Alicyclobacillus, Anoxybacillus flavithermus, Bacillus, B. cereus group, B. licheniformis, B. pumilus, B. sporothermodurans, B. subtilis, Brevibacillus laterosporus, Clostridium, Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Moorella and Paenibacillus species. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing was used to extend identification to other possibly present contaminants. A total of 90 food products, with or without visible trace of spoilage were analysed, i.e., 30 egg-based products, 30 milk and dairy products and 30 canned food and ingredients. Results indicated that most samples contained one or several of the targeted genera and species. For all three tested food categories, 30 to 40% of products were contaminated with both Bacillus and Clostridium. The percentage of contaminations associated with Clostridium or Bacillus represented 100% in raw materials, 72% in dehydrated ingredients and 80% in processed foods. In the last two product types, additional thermophilic contaminants were identified (A. flavithermus, Geobacillus spp., Thermoanaerobacterium spp. and Moorella spp.). These results suggest that selection, and therefore the observed (re)-emergence of unexpected sporeforming contaminants in food might be favoured by the use of given food ingredients and food processing technologies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Microbial diversity of traditional Vietnamese alcohol fermentation starters (banh men) as determined by PCR-mediated DGGE.

    PubMed

    Thanh, Vu Nguyen; Mai, Le Thuy; Tuan, Duong Anh

    2008-12-10

    The diversity of fungi and bacteria associated with traditional Vietnamese alcohol fermentation starters (banh men) was investigated by PCR-mediated DGGE. From 52 starter samples, 13 species of fungi (including yeasts) and 23 species of bacteria were identified. The fungal composition of the starters was consistent with little variation among samples. It consisted of amylase producers (Rhizopus oryzae, R. microsporus, Absidia corymbifera, Amylomyces sp., Saccharomycopsis fibuligera), ethanol producers (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Issatchenkia sp., Pichia anomala, Candida tropicalis, P. ranongensis, Clavispora lusitaniae), and (opportunistic) contaminants (Xeromyces bisporus, Botryobasidium subcoronatum). The bacterial microflora of starters was highly variable in species composition and dominated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The most frequent LAB were Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevis, Weissella confusa, and W. paramesenteroides. Species of amylase-producing Bacillus (Bacillus subtilis, B. circulans, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. sporothermodurans), acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter orientalis, A. pasteurianus), and plant pathogens/environment contaminants (Burkholderia ubonensis, Ralstonia solanacearum, Pelomonas puraquae) were also detected. Fungal DGGE was found to be useful for evaluating starter type and starter quality. Moreover, in view of the high biological diversity of these substrates, bacterial DGGE may be useful in determining the identity of a starter. The constant occurrence of opportunistic contaminants highlights the need for careful examination of the role of individual components in starters.

  2. Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 isolate

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri J. (Inventor)

    2007-01-01

    The present invention relates to discovery and isolation of a biologically pure culture of a Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 isolate with UV sterilization resistant properties. This novel strain has been characterized on the basis of phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization. According to the results of these analyses, this strain belongs to the genus Bacillus. The GenBank accession number for the 16S rDNA sequence of the Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 isolate is AY167879.

  3. Nano-Mechanical Properties of Heat Inactivated Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis Spores

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-01

    Scanner Laser Mirror Cantilever Sample Probe Tip 16 cereus strain 569, and Bacillus globigii var. niger . Zolock determined that there wer...been used to measure the surface elasticities of a variety of microbial organisms including Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus ...66:307-311 (2005). Zhao, Liming, David Schaefer, and Mark R. Marten. “Assessment of Elasticity and Topography of Aspergillus nidulans Spores via

  4. Proteomic profiling and identification of immunodominant spore antigens of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Delvecchio, Vito G; Connolly, Joseph P; Alefantis, Timothy G; Walz, Alexander; Quan, Marian A; Patra, Guy; Ashton, John M; Whittington, Jessica T; Chafin, Ryan D; Liang, Xudong; Grewal, Paul; Khan, Akbar S; Mujer, Cesar V

    2006-09-01

    Differentially expressed and immunogenic spore proteins of the Bacillus cereus group of bacteria, which includes Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis, were identified. Comparative proteomic profiling of their spore proteins distinguished the three species from each other as well as the virulent from the avirulent strains. A total of 458 proteins encoded by 232 open reading frames were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis for all the species. A number of highly expressed proteins, including elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), elongation factor G, 60-kDa chaperonin, enolase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and others exist as charge variants on two-dimensional gels. These charge variants have similar masses but different isoelectric points. The majority of identified proteins have cellular roles associated with energy production, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, posttranslational modifications, and translation. Novel vaccine candidate proteins were identified using B. anthracis polyclonal antisera from humans postinfected with cutaneous anthrax. Fifteen immunoreactive proteins were identified in B. anthracis spores, whereas 7, 14, and 7 immunoreactive proteins were identified for B. cereus and in the virulent and avirulent strains of B. thuringiensis spores, respectively. Some of the immunodominant antigens include charge variants of EF-Tu, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, Delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, and a dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. Alanine racemase and neutral protease were uniquely immunogenic to B. anthracis. Comparative analysis of the spore immunome will be of significance for further nucleic acid- and immuno-based detection systems as well as next-generation vaccine development.

  5. Proteomic Profiling and Identification of Immunodominant Spore Antigens of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis‡

    PubMed Central

    DelVecchio, Vito G.; Connolly, Joseph P.; Alefantis, Timothy G.; Walz, Alexander; Quan, Marian A.; Patra, Guy; Ashton, John M.; Whittington, Jessica T.; Chafin, Ryan D.; Liang, Xudong; Grewal, Paul; Khan, Akbar S.; Mujer, Cesar V.

    2006-01-01

    Differentially expressed and immunogenic spore proteins of the Bacillus cereus group of bacteria, which includes Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis, were identified. Comparative proteomic profiling of their spore proteins distinguished the three species from each other as well as the virulent from the avirulent strains. A total of 458 proteins encoded by 232 open reading frames were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis for all the species. A number of highly expressed proteins, including elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), elongation factor G, 60-kDa chaperonin, enolase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and others exist as charge variants on two-dimensional gels. These charge variants have similar masses but different isoelectric points. The majority of identified proteins have cellular roles associated with energy production, carbohydrate transport and metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, posttranslational modifications, and translation. Novel vaccine candidate proteins were identified using B. anthracis polyclonal antisera from humans postinfected with cutaneous anthrax. Fifteen immunoreactive proteins were identified in B. anthracis spores, whereas 7, 14, and 7 immunoreactive proteins were identified for B. cereus and in the virulent and avirulent strains of B. thuringiensis spores, respectively. Some of the immunodominant antigens include charge variants of EF-Tu, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, Δ-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase, and a dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. Alanine racemase and neutral protease were uniquely immunogenic to B. anthracis. Comparative analysis of the spore immunome will be of significance for further nucleic acid- and immuno-based detection systems as well as next-generation vaccine development. PMID:16957262

  6. Bacillus Endospores Isolated from Granite: Close Molecular Relationships to Globally Distributed Bacillus spp. from Endolithic and Extreme Environments

    PubMed Central

    Fajardo-Cavazos, Patricia; Nicholson, Wayne

    2006-01-01

    As part of an ongoing effort to catalog spore-forming bacterial populations in environments conducive to interplanetary transfer by natural impacts or by human spaceflight activities, spores of Bacillus spp. were isolated and characterized from the interior of near-subsurface granite rock collected from the Santa Catalina Mountains, AZ. Granite was found to contain ∼500 cultivable Bacillus spores and ∼104 total cultivable bacteria per gram. Many of the Bacillus isolates produced a previously unreported diffusible blue fluorescent compound. Two strains of eight tested exhibited increased spore UV resistance relative to a standard Bacillus subtilis UV biodosimetry strain. Fifty-six isolates were identified by repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) and 16S rRNA gene analysis as most closely related to B. megaterium (15 isolates), B. simplex (23 isolates), B. drentensis (6 isolates), B. niacini (7 isolates), and, likely, a new species related to B. barbaricus (5 isolates). Granite isolates were very closely related to a limited number of Bacillus spp. previously found to inhabit (i) globally distributed endolithic sites such as biodeteriorated murals, stone tombs, underground caverns, and rock concretions and (ii) extreme environments such as Antarctic soils, deep sea floor sediments, and spacecraft assembly facilities. Thus, it appears that the occurrence of Bacillus spp. in endolithic or extreme environments is not accidental but that these environments create unique niches excluding most Bacillus spp. but to which a limited number of Bacillus spp. are specifically adapted. PMID:16597992

  7. Environmental Persistence of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis Spores

    PubMed Central

    Wood, Joseph P.; Meyer, Kathryn M.; Kelly, Thomas J.; Choi, Young W.; Rogers, James V.; Riggs, Karen B.; Willenberg, Zachary J.

    2015-01-01

    There is a lack of data for how the viability of biological agents may degrade over time in different environments. In this study, experiments were conducted to determine the persistence of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis spores on outdoor materials with and without exposure to simulated sunlight, using ultraviolet (UV)-A/B radiation. Spores were inoculated onto glass, wood, concrete, and topsoil and recovered after periods of 2, 14, 28, and 56 days. Recovery and inactivation kinetics for the two species were assessed for each surface material and UV exposure condition. Results suggest that with exposure to UV, decay of spore viability for both Bacillus species occurs in two phases, with an initial rapid decay, followed by a slower inactivation period. The exception was with topsoil, in which there was minimal loss of spore viability in soil over 56 days, with or without UV exposure. The greatest loss in viable spore recovery occurred on glass with UV exposure, with nearly a four log10 reduction after just two days. In most cases, B. subtilis had a slower rate of decay than B. anthracis, although less B. subtilis was recovered initially. PMID:26372011

  8. Bacillus Strains Most Closely Related to Bacillus nealsonii Are Not Effectively Circumscribed within the Taxonomic Species Definition

    PubMed Central

    Peak, K. Kealy; Duncan, Kathleen E.; Luna, Vicki A.; King, Debra S.; McCarthy, Peter J.; Cannons, Andrew C.

    2011-01-01

    Bacillus strains with >99.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity were characterized with DNA:DNA hybridization, cellular fatty acid (CFA) analysis, and testing of 100 phenotypic traits. When paired with the most closely related type strain, percent DNA:DNA similarities (% S) for six Bacillus strains were all far below the recommended 70% threshold value for species circumscription with Bacillus nealsonii. An apparent genomic group of four Bacillus strain pairings with 94%–70% S was contradicted by the failure of the strains to cluster in CFA- and phenotype-based dendrograms as well as by their differentiation with 9–13 species level discriminators such as nitrate reduction, temperature range, and acid production from carbohydrates. The novel Bacillus strains were monophyletic and very closely related based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. Coherent genomic groups were not however supported by similarly organized phenotypic clusters. Therefore, the strains were not effectively circumscribed within the taxonomic species definition. PMID:22046187

  9. Cryo-EM reconstruction of AlfA from Bacillus subtilis reveals the structure of a simplified actin-like filament at 3.4-Å resolution.

    PubMed

    Szewczak-Harris, Andrzej; Löwe, Jan

    2018-03-27

    Low copy-number plasmid pLS32 of Bacillus subtilis subsp. natto contains a partitioning system that ensures segregation of plasmid copies during cell division. The partitioning locus comprises actin-like protein AlfA, adaptor protein AlfB, and the centromeric sequence parN Similar to the ParMRC partitioning system from Escherichia coli plasmid R1, AlfA filaments form actin-like double helical filaments that arrange into an antiparallel bipolar spindle, which attaches its growing ends to sister plasmids through interactions with AlfB and parN Because, compared with ParM and other actin-like proteins, AlfA is highly diverged in sequence, we determined the atomic structure of nonbundling AlfA filaments to 3.4-Å resolution by cryo-EM. The structure reveals how the deletion of subdomain IIB of the canonical actin fold has been accommodated by unique longitudinal and lateral contacts, while still enabling formation of left-handed, double helical, polar and staggered filaments that are architecturally similar to ParM. Through cryo-EM reconstruction of bundling AlfA filaments, we obtained a pseudoatomic model of AlfA doublets: the assembly of two filaments. The filaments are antiparallel, as required by the segregation mechanism, and exactly antiphasic with near eightfold helical symmetry, to enable efficient doublet formation. The structure of AlfA filaments and doublets shows, in atomic detail, how deletion of an entire domain of the actin fold is compensated by changes to all interfaces so that the required properties of polymerization, nucleotide hydrolysis, and antiparallel doublet formation are retained to fulfill the system's biological raison d'être.

  10. Measurement of Metabolic Activity in Dormant Spores of Bacillus Species

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-14

    SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Spores of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus subtilis were harvested shortly after release from sporangia, incubated under...Measurement of Metabolic Activity in Dormant Spores of Bacillus Species Report Title Spores of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus subtilis were...ribosomal RNA when newly harvested Bacillus subtilis spores are incubated at physiological temperatures, as well as some evidence for transcription in

  11. Effect of garlic solution to Bacillus sp. removal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zainol, N.; Rahim, S. R.

    2018-04-01

    Biofilm is a microbial derived sessile community characterized by cells that are irreversibly attached to a substratum or interface to each other, embedded in a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances that they have produced. Bacillus sp. was used as biofilm model in this study. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Garlic solution in term of ratio of water and Garlic solution (W/G) and ratio of Garlic solution to Bacillus sp. (GS/B) on Bacillus sp removal. Garlic solution was used to remove Bacillus sp. In this study, Garlic solution was prepared by crushing the garlic and mixed it with water. the Garlic solution was added into Bacillus sp. mixture and mixed well. The mixture then was spread on nutrient agar. The Bacillus sp. weight on agar plate was measured by using dry weight measurement method. In this study, initially Garlic solution volume and Garlic solution concentration were studied using one factor at time (OFAT). Later two-level-factorial analysis was done to determine the most contributing factor in Bacillus sp. removal. Design Expert software (Version 7) was used to construct experimental table where all the factors were randomized. Bacilus sp removal was ranging between 42.13% to 99.6%. The analysis of the results showed that at W/G of 1:1, Bacillus sp. removal increased when more Garlic solution was added to Bacillus sp. Effect of Garlic solution to Bacillus sp. will be understood which in turn may be beneficial for the industrial purpose.

  12. Bacillus odysseyi sp. nov., a round-spore-forming bacillus isolated from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    La Duc, Myron T.; Satomi, Masataka; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

    2004-01-01

    A round-spore-forming Bacillus species that produces an exosporium was isolated from the surface of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. This novel species has been characterized on the basis of phenotypic traits, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization. According to the results of these analyses, this strain belongs to the genus Bacillus and is a Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped, endospore-forming eubacterium. Ultrathin sections of the spores showed the presence of an exosporium, spore coat, cortex and core. 16S rDNA sequence similarities between this strain, Bacillus fusiformis and Bacillus silvestris were approximately 96% and DNA-DNA reassociation values with these two bacilli were 23 and 17%, respectively. Spores of the novel species were resistant to desiccation, H2O2 and UV and gamma radiation. Of all strains tested, the spores of this strain were the most consistently resistant and survived all of the challenges posed, i.e. exposure to conditions of desiccation (100% survival), H2O2 (26% survival), UV radiation (10% survival at 660 J m(-2)) and gamma radiation (0.4% survival). The name proposed for this novel bacterium is Bacillus odysseyi sp. nov.; the type strain is 34hs-1T (=ATCC PTA-4993T=NRRL B-30641T=NBRC 100172T).

  13. Genetic map of the Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB36 chromosome

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vallier, H.; Welker, N.E.

    1990-02-01

    A circular genetic map of Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB36 was constructed by transduction with bacteriophage TP-42C and protoplast fusion. Sixty-four genes were tentatively assigned a cognate Bacillus subtilis gene based on growth response to intermediates or end products of metabolism, cross-feeding, accumulation of intermediates, or their relative order in a linkage group. Although the relative position of many genes on the Bacillus subtilis genetic map appears to be similar, some differences were detected. The tentative order of the genes in the Bacillus stearothermophilus aro region is aspB-aroBAFEC-tyra-hisH-(trp), whereas it is aspB-aroE-tyrA-hisH-(trp)-aroHBF in Bacillus subtilis. The aroA, aroC, and aroG genes inmore » Bacillus subtilis are located in another region. The tentative order of genes in the trp operon of Bacillus stearothermophilus is trpFCDABE, whereas it is trpABFCDE in Bacillus subtilis.« less

  14. Disinfection of Vegetative Cells of Bacillus anthracis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    1. INTRODUCTION Disinfection of Bacillus anthracis spores in drinking water is well documented in peer-reviewed literature (Adcock et al., 2004... Disinfection kinetics of vegetative cells of Bacillus anthracis in water with free available chlorine ([FAC] 2 mg/L) and monochloramine ([MC] 2 mg/L) were...anthracis. Bacillus anthracis cells Drinking water Chlorine demand-free (CDF

  15. FORMALDEHYDE GAS INACTIVATION OF BACILLUS ANTHRACIS, BACILLUS SUBTILIS AND GEOBACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS SPORES ON INDOOR SURFACE MATERIALS.

    EPA Science Inventory

    Research evaluated the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface material using formaldehyde gas. Spores were dried on seven types of indoor surfaces and exposed to 1100 ppm formaldehyde gas for 10 hr. Fo...

  16. Bacillus oryzisoli sp. nov., isolated from rice rhizosphere.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiao-Xia; Gao, Ju-Sheng; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Cai-Wen; Ma, Xiao-Tong; Zhang, Jun

    2016-09-01

    The taxonomy of strain 1DS3-10T, a Gram-staining-positive, endospore-forming bacterium isolated from rice rhizosphere, was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences demonstrated that the novel strain was grouped with established members of the genus Bacillus and appeared to be closely related to the type strains Bacillus benzoevorans DSM 5391T (97.9 %), Bacillus circulans DSM 11T (97.7 %), Bacillus novalis JCM 21709T (97.3 %), Bacillus soli JCM 21710T (97.3 %), Bacillus oceanisediminis CGMCC 1.10115T (97.3 %) and BacillusnealsoniiFO-92T (97.1 %). The fatty acid profile of strain 1DS3-10T, which showed a predominance of iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0, supported the allocation of the strain to the genus Bacillus. The predominant menaquinone was MK-7 (100 %). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and unknown aminolipids. Cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 1DS3-10T and the type strains of closely related species were 25-33 %, which supported that 1DS3-10T represented a novel species in the genus Bacillus. The results of some physiological and biochemical tests also allowed the phenotypic differentiation of strain 1DS3-10T from the most closely related recognized species. On the basis of the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, strain 1DS3-10T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus oryzisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the novel species is 1DS3-10T (=ACCC 19781T=DSM 29761T).

  17. Non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis.

    PubMed

    Morpeth, Susan; Murdoch, David; Cabell, Christopher H; Karchmer, Adolf W; Pappas, Paul; Levine, Donald; Nacinovich, Francisco; Tattevin, Pierre; Fernández-Hidalgo, Núria; Dickerman, Stuart; Bouza, Emilio; del Río, Ana; Lejko-Zupanc, Tatjana; de Oliveira Ramos, Auristela; Iarussi, Diana; Klein, John; Chirouze, Catherine; Bedimo, Roger; Corey, G Ralph; Fowler, Vance G

    2007-12-18

    Infective endocarditis caused by non-HACEK (species other than Haemophilus species, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens, or Kingella species) gram-negative bacilli is rare, is poorly characterized, and is commonly considered to be primarily a disease of injection drug users. To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis in a large, international, contemporary cohort of patients. Observations from the International Collaboration on Infective Endocarditis Prospective Cohort Study (ICE-PCS) database. 61 hospitals in 28 countries. Hospitalized patients with definite endocarditis. Characteristics of non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis cases were described and compared with those due to other pathogens. Among the 2761 case-patients with definite endocarditis enrolled in ICE-PCS, 49 (1.8%) had endocarditis (20 native valve, 29 prosthetic valve or device) due to non-HACEK, gram-negative bacilli. Escherichia coli (14 patients [29%]) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11 patients [22%]) were the most common pathogens. Most patients (57%) with non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis had health care-associated infection, whereas injection drug use was rare (4%). Implanted endovascular devices were frequently associated with non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis compared with other causes of endocarditis (29% vs. 11%; P < 0.001). The in-hospital mortality rate of patients with endocarditis due to non-HACEK gram-negative bacilli was high (24%) despite high rates of cardiac surgery (51%). Because of the small number of patients with non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis in each treatment group and the lack of long-term follow-up, strong treatment recommendations are difficult to make. In this large, prospective, multinational cohort, more than one half of all cases of non-HACEK gram-negative bacillus endocarditis were associated with

  18. Bacillus Coagulans

    MedlinePlus

    ... It is used similarly to lactobacillus and other probiotics as "beneficial" bacteria. People take Bacillus coagulans for ... intestine. Early evidence shows that using a specific probiotic product (Lactol, Bioplus Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., India) ...

  19. Microbiological efficacy of superheated steam. I. Communication: results with spores of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus stearothermophilus and with spore earth.

    PubMed

    Spicher, G; Peters, J; Borchers, U

    1999-02-01

    For the spores of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus stearothermophilus as well as for spore earth (acc. DIN 58,946 Part 4 of August 1982), the dependence of resistance on the superheating of the steam used to kill germs was determined. A material (glass fibre fleece) was used as the germ carrier which does not superheat on contact with steam. The temperature of the saturated steam was 100 degrees C (B. subtilis) and 120 degrees C (B. stearothermophilus and spore earth). The yardstick for the resistance of the spores or bioindicators was the exposure period of the saturated or superheated steam at which 50% of the treated test objects no longer showed any viable test germs. The spores of Bacillus subtilis were far more sensitive to superheating of steam and reacted far more than the spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus and the germs in the spore earth. When superheating by 4 Kelvin the spores of Bacillus subtilis were approximately 2.5 times more resistant than they were to saturated steam. The resistance of Bacillus stearothermophilus and spore earth was only slightly higher up to superheating by 10 Kelvin. The spores of Bacillus subtilis had the highest resistance during superheating by 29 Kelvin; they were 119 times more resistant than they were to saturated steam. The resistance maximum of the spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus was at an superheating by around 22 Kelvin. However, the spores were only 4.1 times more resistant than they were to saturated steam. When using steam to kill germs, we must expect superheated steam. This raises the question whether the spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus, with their weaker reaction to the superheating of steam, are suitable as test germs for sterilisation with steam in all cases.

  20. Real-Time PCR Assay for a Unique Chromosomal Sequence of Bacillus anthracis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-12-01

    13061 Neisseria lactamica .............................................................. 23970 Bacillus coagulans ...NEG Bacillus coagulane 7050 NEG NEG Bacillus cereus 13472 NEG NEG Bacillus licheniforms 12759 NEG NEG Bacillus cereus 13824 NEG NEG Bacillus ...Assay for a Unique Chromosomal Sequence of Bacillus anthracis Elizabeth Bode,1 William Hurtle,2† and David Norwood1* United States Army Medical

  1. Bacillus beijingensis sp. nov. and Bacillus ginsengi sp. nov., isolated from ginseng root.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Fubin; Zhang, Xiaoxia; Liu, Lin; Sun, Lei; Schumann, Peter; Song, Wei

    2009-04-01

    Four alkaligenous, moderately halotolerant strains, designated ge09, ge10(T), ge14(T) and ge15, were isolated from the internal tissue of ginseng root and their taxonomic positions were investigated by using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the four strains were Gram-positive-staining, non-motile, short rods. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains ge09 and ge10(T) formed one cluster and strains ge14(T) and ge15 formed another separate cluster within the genus Bacillus. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with type strains of other Bacillus species were less than 97 %. Levels of DNA-DNA relatedness among the four strains showed that strains ge09 and ge10(T) and strains ge14(T) and ge15 belonged to two separate species; the mean level of DNA-DNA relatedness between ge10(T) and ge14(T) was only 28.7 %. Their phenotypic and physiological properties supported the view that the two strains represent two different novel species of the genus Bacillus. The DNA G+C contents of strains ge10(T) and ge14(T) were 49.9 and 49.6 mol%, respectively. Strains ge10(T) and ge14(T) showed the peptidoglycan type A4alpha l-Lys-d-Glu. The lipids present in strains ge10(T) and ge14(T) were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, a minor amount of phosphatidylcholine and two unknown phospholipids. Their predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The fatty acid profiles of the four novel strains contained large quantities of branched and saturated fatty acids. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) (42.5 %), anteiso-C(15 : 0) (22.2 %), anteiso-C(17 : 0) (7.3 %) and C(16 : 1)omega7c alcohol (5.7 %) in ge10(T) and iso-C(15 : 0) (50.7 %) and anteiso-C(15 : 0) (20.1 %) in ge14(T). On the basis of their phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, two novel species of the genus Bacillus are proposed, Bacillus beijingensis sp. nov. (type strain ge10(T) =DSM 19037(T) =CGMCC 1.6762(T)) and Bacillus ginsengi sp. nov. (type strain ge14

  2. Capsule Depolymerase Overexpression Reduces Bacillus anthracis Virulence

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    protein that autocatalytically forms a heterodimer consisting of 35 kDa and 15 kDa subunits. CapD shares 32 % identity with the Bacillus subtilis GGT and 35...Immun 49, 291–297. Kimura, K., Tran, L. S., Uchida, I. & Itoh, Y. (2004). Characterization of Bacillus subtilis gamma-glutamyltransferase and its...Capsule depolymerase overexpression reduces Bacillus anthracis virulence Angelo Scorpio,3 Donald J. Chabot, William A. Day,4 Timothy A. Hoover and

  3. Effect of oral administration of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9 strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model

    PubMed Central

    Haldar, Lopamudra; Gandhi, D. N.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To investigate the effect of oral administration of two Bacillus strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model. Materials and Methods: An in vivo experiment was conducted for 49-day period on 36 adult male albino Wister rats divided equally into to four groups. After 7-day adaptation period, one group (T1) was fed on sterile skim milk along with basal diet for the next 28 days. Second (T2) and (T3) groups received spore biomass of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9, respectively, suspended in sterilized skim milk at 8-9 log colony-forming units/ml plus basal diet for 28 days, while control group (T4) was supplied with clean water along with basal diet. There was a 14-day post-treatment period. A total of 288 fecal samples (8 fecal collections per rat) were collected at every 7-day interval starting from 0 to 49 days and subjected to the enumeration of the counts of coliforms and lactobacilli and Bacillus spores using respective agar media. In vitro acid and bile tolerance tests on both the strains were performed. Results: The rats those (T2 and T3) received either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 spore along with non-fermented skim milk showed decrease (p<0.01) in fecal coliform counts and increase (p<0.05) in both fecal lactobacilli and Bacillus spore counts as compared to the control group (T4) and the group fed only skim milk (T1). In vitro study indicated that both the strains were found to survive at pH 2.0 and 3.0 even up to 3 h and tolerate bile up to 2.0% concentration even after 12 h of exposure. Conclusions: This study revealed that oral administration of either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 strains might be useful in reducing coliform counts accompanied by concurrent increase in lactobacilli counts in the intestinal flora in rats. PMID:27536040

  4. Effect of oral administration of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9 strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model.

    PubMed

    Haldar, Lopamudra; Gandhi, D N

    2016-07-01

    To investigate the effect of oral administration of two Bacillus strains on fecal coliforms, Lactobacillus and Bacillus spp. in rat animal model. An in vivo experiment was conducted for 49-day period on 36 adult male albino Wister rats divided equally into to four groups. After 7-day adaptation period, one group (T1) was fed on sterile skim milk along with basal diet for the next 28 days. Second (T2) and (T3) groups received spore biomass of Bacillus coagulans B37 and Bacillus pumilus B9, respectively, suspended in sterilized skim milk at 8-9 log colony-forming units/ml plus basal diet for 28 days, while control group (T4) was supplied with clean water along with basal diet. There was a 14-day post-treatment period. A total of 288 fecal samples (8 fecal collections per rat) were collected at every 7-day interval starting from 0 to 49 days and subjected to the enumeration of the counts of coliforms and lactobacilli and Bacillus spores using respective agar media. In vitro acid and bile tolerance tests on both the strains were performed. The rats those (T2 and T3) received either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 spore along with non-fermented skim milk showed decrease (p<0.01) in fecal coliform counts and increase (p<0.05) in both fecal lactobacilli and Bacillus spore counts as compared to the control group (T4) and the group fed only skim milk (T1). In vitro study indicated that both the strains were found to survive at pH 2.0 and 3.0 even up to 3 h and tolerate bile up to 2.0% concentration even after 12 h of exposure. This study revealed that oral administration of either B. coagulans B37 or B. pumilus B9 strains might be useful in reducing coliform counts accompanied by concurrent increase in lactobacilli counts in the intestinal flora in rats.

  5. [Screening and antibacterial function of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X030].

    PubMed

    He, Hao; Zhu, Yingling; Chi, Liqing; Zhao, Zizhao; Wang, Ting; Zuo, Mingxing; Zhang, Tong; Zhou, Fengjuan; Xia, Liqiu; Ding, Xuezhi

    2015-09-04

    We isolated 339 bacillus strains from 72 soil samples all over the country, then purified their antimicrobial compounds and studied the antibacterial activity, to enrich bacillus resources and explore their second metabolites. A bacillus strain with strong antibacterial activity was selected by dilution plate and water bath heating from a soil sample from a peanut plantation in Henan Province; this strain was identified according to morphological observation, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and consequences of 16S rRNA homologous analysis. Antibacterial compound from the identified strain, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X030, was separated and purified by acetone precipitation, Sephadex chromatography, C18 reverse phase column chromatography. Its molecular weight was analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The antibacterial activity was characterized by disc diffusion and plate two-way cultivation. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens was isolated that not only has antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albican and Saccharomycetes; but also against Pyriculariaoryzae, Chili pointed cell anthrax, Gloeosporium eriobotryae speg and Phytophthora parasitica. The compound was confirmed as polypeptide. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens X030 can produce a polypeptide that inhibits pathogenic bacteria and plant pathogenic fungi.

  6. Expression of Bacillus protease (Protease BYA) from Bacillus sp. Y in Bacillus subtilis and enhancement of its specific activity by site-directed mutagenesis-improvement in productivity of detergent enzyme-.

    PubMed

    Tobe, Seiichi; Shimogaki, Hisao; Ohdera, Motoyasu; Asai, Yoshio; Oba, Kenkichi; Iwama, Masanori; Irie, Masachika

    2006-01-01

    An attempt was made to express protease BYA produced by an alkalophilic Bacillus sp. Y in Bacillus subtilis by gene engineering methods. The gene encoding protease BYA was cloned from Bacillus sp. Y, and expression vector pTA71 was constructed from the amylase promoter of Bacillus licheniformis, DNA fragments encoding the open reading frame of protease BYA, and pUB110. Protease BYA was secreted at an activity level of 5100 APU/ml in the common industrial culture medium of Bacillus subtilis transformed with pTA71. We then attempted to increase the specific activity of protease BYA by site-directed mutagenesis. Amino acid residue Ala29 next to catalytic Asp30 was replaced by one of three uncharged amino acid residues (Val29, Leu29, Ile29), and each mutant enzyme was expressed and isolated from the culture medium. Val29 mutant enzyme was secreted at an activity level of greater than 7000 APU/ml in culture medium, and its specific activity was 1.5-fold higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. Other mutant enzymes had specific activity similar to that of the original one and were less stabile than the wild-type enzyme. It can be thought that the substitution at amino acid residue 29 affects the level of activity and stability of protease BYA.

  7. Potential of Bacillus spp produces siderophores insuppressing thewilt disease of banana plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kesaulya, H.; Hasinu, J. V.; Tuhumury, G. NC

    2018-01-01

    In nature, different types of siderophore such as hydroxymate, catecholets and carboxylate, are produced by different bacteria. Bacillus spp were isolated from potato rhizospheric soil can produce siderophore of both catecholets and salicylate type with different concentrations. Various strains of Bacillus spp were tested for pathogen inhibition capability in a dual culture manner. The test results showed the ability of inhibition of pathogen isolated from banana wilt disease. From the result tested were found Bacillus niabensis Strain PT-32-1, Bacillus subtilis Strain SWI16b, Bacillus subtilis Strain HPC21, Bacillus mojavensis Strain JCEN3, and Bacillus subtilis Strain HPC24 showed different capabilities in suppressing pathogen.

  8. DECONTAMINATION ASSESSMENT OF BACILLUS ANTHRACIS, BACILLUS SUBTILIS, AND GEOBACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS SPORES ON INDOOR SURFACTS USING A HYDROGEN PERIOXIDE GAS GENERATOR

    EPA Science Inventory

    Aims: To evaluate the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials using hydrogen peroxide gas. Methods and Results: B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. Stearothermophilus spores were dried on seven...

  9. Laser-induced speckle scatter patterns in Bacillus colonies

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Huisung; Singh, Atul K.; Bhunia, Arun K.; Bae, Euiwon

    2014-01-01

    Label-free bacterial colony phenotyping technology called BARDOT (Bacterial Rapid Detection using Optical scattering Technology) provided successful classification of several different bacteria at the genus, species, and serovar level. Recent experiments with colonies of Bacillus species provided strikingly different characteristics of elastic light scatter (ELS) patterns, which were comprised of random speckles compared to other bacteria, which are dominated by concentric rings and spokes. Since this laser-based optical sensor interrogates the whole volume of the colony, 3-D information of micro- and macro-structures are all encoded in the far-field scatter patterns. Here, we present a theoretical model explaining the underlying mechanism of the speckle formation by the colonies from Bacillus species. Except for Bacillus polymyxa, all Bacillus spp. produced random bright spots on the imaging plane, which presumably dependent on the cellular and molecular organization and content within the colony. Our scatter model-based analysis revealed that colony spread resulting in variable surface roughness can modify the wavefront of the scatter field. As the center diameter of the Bacillus spp. colony grew from 500 to 900 μm, average speckles area decreased two-fold and the number of small speckles increased seven-fold. In conclusion, as Bacillus colony grows, the average speckle size in the scatter pattern decreases and the number of smaller speckle increases due to the swarming growth characteristics of bacteria within the colony. PMID:25352840

  10. Bacillus As Potential Probiotics: Status, Concerns, and Future Perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Elshaghabee, Fouad M. F.; Rokana, Namita; Gulhane, Rohini D.; Sharma, Chetan; Panwar, Harsh

    2017-01-01

    Spore-forming bacilli are being explored for the production and preservation of food for many centuries. The inherent ability of production of large number of secretory proteins, enzymes, antimicrobial compounds, vitamins, and carotenoids specifies the importance of bacilli in food chain. Additionally, Bacillus spp. are gaining interest in human health related functional food research coupled with their enhanced tolerance and survivability under hostile environment of gastrointestinal tract. Besides, bacilli are more stable during processing and storage of food and pharmaceutical preparations, making them more suitable candidate for health promoting formulations. Further, Bacillus strains also possess biotherapeutic potential which is connected with their ability to interact with the internal milieu of the host by producing variety of antimicrobial peptides and small extracellular effector molecules. Nonetheless, with proposed scientific evidences, commercial probiotic supplements, and functional foods comprising of Bacillus spp. had not gained much credential in general population, since the debate over probiotic vs pathogen tag of Bacillus in the research and production terrains is confusing consumers. Hence, it’s important to clearly understand the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of selective beneficial Bacillus spp. and their substantiation with those having GRAS status, to reach a consensus over the same. This review highlights the probiotic candidature of spore forming Bacillus spp. and presents an overview of the proposed health benefits, including application in food and pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, the growing need to evaluate the safety of individual Bacillus strains as well as species on a case by case basis and necessity of more profound analysis for the selection and identification of Bacillus probiotic candidates are also taken into consideration. PMID:28848511

  11. Biodegradation of naphthalene and phenanthren by Bacillus subtilis 3KP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ni'matuzahroh, Trikurniadewi, N.; Pramadita, A. R. A.; Pratiwi, I. A.; Salamun, Fatimah, Sumarsih, Sri

    2017-06-01

    The purposes of this research were to know growth response, degradation ability, and uptake mechanism of naphthalene and phenanthrene by Bacillus subtilis 3KP. Bacillus subtilis 3KP was grown on Mineral Synthetic (MS) medium with addition of 1% yeast extract and naphthalene and phenanthrene respectively 200 ppm in different cultures. Bacillus subtilis 3KP growth response was monitored by Total Plate Count (TPC) method, the degradation ability was monitored by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, and the uptake mechanism of hydrocarbon was monitored by emulsification activity, decrease of surface tension, and activity of Bacterial Adherence to Hydrocarbon (BATH). Bacillus subtilis 3KP was able to grow and show biphasic growth pattern on both of substrates. Naphthalene and phenanthrene were used as a carbon source for Bacillus subtilis 3KP growth that indicated by the reduction of substrate concomitant with the growth. At room temperature conditions (± 30°C) and 90 rpm of agitation for 7 days, Bacillus subtilis 3KP could degrade naphthalene in the amount of 70.5% and phenanthrene in the amount of 24.8%. Based on the analysis of UV-Vis spectrophotometer, three metabolites, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, salicylic acid, and pyrocatechol were found in both cultures. The metabolite identification became basis of propose degradation pathway of naphthalene and phenanthrene by Bacillus subtilis 3KP. The results of hydrocarbon uptake mechanism test show that Bacillus subtilis 3KP used all of the mechanism to degrade naphthalene and phenanthrene.

  12. Isolation and characterization of a novel analyte from Bacillus subtilis SC-8 antagonistic to Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Lee, Nam Keun; Yeo, In-Cheol; Park, Joung Whan; Kang, Byung-Sun; Hahm, Young Tae

    2010-09-01

    In this study, an effective substance was isolated from Bacillus subtilis SC-8, which was obtained from traditionally fermented soybean paste, cheonggukjang. The substance was purified by HPLC, and its properties were analyzed. It had an adequate antagonistic effect on Bacilluscereus, and its spectrum of activity was narrow. When tested on several gram-negative and gram-positive foodborne pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella enterica, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes, no antagonistic effect was observed. Applying the derivative from B. subtilis SC-8 within the same genus did not inhibit the growth of major soybean-fermenting bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus amyloquefaciens. The range of pH stability of the purified antagonistic substance was wide (from 4.0 to >10.0), and the substance was thermally stable up to 60 degrees C. In the various enzyme treatments, the antagonistic activity of the purified substance was reduced with proteinase K, protease, and lipase; its activity was partially destroyed with esterase. Spores of B. cereus did not grow at all in the presence of 5mug/mL of the purified antagonistic substance. The isolated antagonistic substance was thought to be an antibiotic-like lipopeptidal compound and was tentatively named BSAP-254 because it absorbed to UV radiation at 254nm. Copyright 2010 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. In Vitro Assessment of Marine Bacillus for Use as Livestock Probiotics

    PubMed Central

    Prieto, Maria Luz; O’Sullivan, Laurie; Tan, Shiau Pin; McLoughlin, Peter; Hughes, Helen; Gutierrez, Montserrat; Lane, Jonathan A.; Hickey, Rita M.; Lawlor, Peadar G.; Gardiner, Gillian E.

    2014-01-01

    Six antimicrobial-producing seaweed-derived Bacillus strains were evaluated in vitro as animal probiotics, in comparison to two Bacillus from an EU-authorized animal probiotic product. Antimicrobial activity was demonstrated on solid media against porcine Salmonella and E. coli. The marine isolates were most active against the latter, had better activity than the commercial probiotics and Bacillus pumilus WIT 588 also reduced E. coli counts in broth. All of the marine Bacillus tolerated physiological concentrations of bile, with some as tolerant as one of the probiotics. Spore counts for all isolates remained almost constant during incubation in simulated gastric and ileum juices. All of the marine Bacillus grew anaerobically and the spores of all except one isolate germinated under anaerobic conditions. All were sensitive to a panel of antibiotics and none harbored Bacillus enterotoxin genes but all, except B. pumilus WIT 588, showed some degree of β-hemolysis. However, trypan blue dye exclusion and xCELLigence assays demonstrated a lack of toxicity in comparison to two pathogens; in fact, the commercial probiotics appeared more cytotoxic than the majority of the marine Bacillus. Overall, some of the marine-derived Bacillus, in particular B. pumilus WIT 588, demonstrate potential for use as livestock probiotics. PMID:24796302

  14. Structural changes of TasA in biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Diehl, Anne; Roske, Yvette; Ball, Linda; Chowdhury, Anup; Hiller, Matthias; Molière, Noel; Kramer, Regina; Stöppler, Daniel; Worth, Catherine L.; Schlegel, Brigitte; Leidert, Martina; Cremer, Nils; Erdmann, Natalja; Lopez, Daniel; Stephanowitz, Heike; Krause, Eberhard; Schmieder, Peter; Akbey, Ümit; Oschkinat, Hartmut

    2018-01-01

    Microorganisms form surface-attached communities, termed biofilms, which can serve as protection against host immune reactions or antibiotics. Bacillus subtilis biofilms contain TasA as major proteinaceous component in addition to exopolysaccharides. In stark contrast to the initially unfolded biofilm proteins of other bacteria, TasA is a soluble, stably folded monomer, whose structure we have determined by X-ray crystallography. Subsequently, we characterized in vitro different oligomeric forms of TasA by NMR, EM, X-ray diffraction, and analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) experiments. However, by magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR on live biofilms, a swift structural change toward only one of these forms, consisting of homogeneous and protease-resistant, β-sheet–rich fibrils, was observed in vivo. Thereby, we characterize a structural change from a globular state to a fibrillar form in a functional prokaryotic system on the molecular level. PMID:29531041

  15. A report on extensive lateral genetic reciprocation between arsenic resistant Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus strains analyzed using RAPD-PCR.

    PubMed

    Khowal, Sapna; Siddiqui, Md Zulquarnain; Ali, Shadab; Khan, Mohd Taha; Khan, Mather Ali; Naqvi, Samar Husain; Wajid, Saima

    2017-02-01

    The study involves isolation of arsenic resistant bacteria from soil samples. The characterization of bacteria isolates was based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The phylogenetic consanguinity among isolates was studied employing rpoB and gltX gene sequence. RAPD-PCR technique was used to analyze genetic similarity between arsenic resistant isolates. In accordance with the results Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus strains may exhibit extensive horizontal gene transfer. Arsenic resistant potency in Bacillus sonorensis and high arsenite tolerance in Bacillus pumilus strains was identified. The RAPD-PCR primer OPO-02 amplified a 0.5kb DNA band specific to B. pumilus 3ZZZ strain and 0.75kb DNA band specific to B. subtilis 3PP. These unique DNA bands may have potential use as SCAR (Sequenced Characterized Amplified Region) molecular markers for identification of arsenic resistant B. pumilus and B. subtilis strains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Identification of Bacillus Strains for Biological Control of Catfish Pathogens

    PubMed Central

    Ran, Chao; Carrias, Abel; Williams, Malachi A.; Capps, Nancy; Dan, Bui C. T.; Newton, Joseph C.; Kloepper, Joseph W.; Ooi, Ei L.; Browdy, Craig L.; Terhune, Jeffery S.; Liles, Mark R.

    2012-01-01

    Bacillus strains isolated from soil or channel catfish intestine were screened for their antagonism against Edwardsiella ictaluri and Aeromonas hydrophila, the causative agents of enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC) and motile aeromonad septicaemia (MAS), respectively. Twenty one strains were selected and their antagonistic activity against other aquatic pathogens was also tested. Each of the top 21 strains expressed antagonistic activity against multiple aquatic bacterial pathogens including Edwardsiella tarda, Streptococcus iniae, Yersinia ruckeri, Flavobacterium columnare, and/or the oomycete Saprolegnia ferax. Survival of the 21 Bacillus strains in the intestine of catfish was determined as Bacillus CFU/g of intestinal tissue of catfish after feeding Bacillus spore-supplemented feed for seven days followed by normal feed for three days. Five Bacillus strains that showed good antimicrobial activity and intestinal survival were incorporated into feed in spore form at a dose of 8×107 CFU/g and fed to channel catfish for 14 days before they were challenged by E. ictaluri in replicate. Two Bacillus subtilis strains conferred significant benefit in reducing catfish mortality (P<0.05). A similar challenge experiment conducted in Vietnam with four of the five Bacillus strains also showed protective effects against E. ictaluri in striped catfish. Safety of the four strains exhibiting the strongest biological control in vivo was also investigated in terms of whether the strains contain plasmids or express resistance to clinically important antibiotics. The Bacillus strains identified from this study have good potential to mediate disease control as probiotic feed additives for catfish aquaculture. PMID:23029244

  17. Gangrenous mastitis caused by Bacillus species in six goats.

    PubMed

    Mavangira, Vengai; Angelos, John A; Samitz, Eileen M; Rowe, Joan D; Byrne, Barbara A

    2013-03-15

    6 lactating dairy goats were examined because of acute mastitis. Goats were considered to have endotoxemia on the basis of physical examination and clinicopathologic findings. The affected udder halves had gangrenous discolored distal portions with sharp demarcations from grossly normal tissue proximally. Udder secretions from the affected sides were serosanguineous in all cases. A Bacillus sp was isolated in pure cultures in all cases. In 1 case, the Bacillus sp was identified as Bacillus cereus. Goats were treated for mastitis and endotoxemia with polyionic IV fluid therapy, systemic and intramammary antimicrobial administration, anti-inflammatory drug administration, and other supportive treatment. All goats survived to discharge. All except 1 goat had follow-up information available. The affected udder halves sloughed in 1 to 2 months following discharge. In subsequent lactations after the mastitis episodes, milk production in 2 of 5 goats was above the mean, as determined on the basis of Dairy Herd Improvement records, and 3 of 5 goats were voluntarily withdrawn from lactation. All 5 goats had successful kiddings after the Bacillus mastitis episode. Bacillus sp should be considered as a causative agent in goats with gangrenous mastitis, especially when the Bacillus sp is isolated in a pure culture. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing is recommended for selection of an appropriate antimicrobial for treatment. Prognosis for survival appears to be good, although milk production may be decreased.

  18. Not so simple, not so subtle: the interspecies competition between Bacillus simplex and Bacillus subtilis and its impact on the evolution of biofilms

    PubMed Central

    Rosenberg, Gili; Steinberg, Nitai; Oppenheimer-Shaanan, Yaara; Olender, Tsvia; Doron, Shany; Ben-Ari, Julius; Sirota-Madi, Alexandra; Bloom-Ackermann, Zohar; Kolodkin-Gal, Ilana

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis biofilms have a fundamental role in shaping the soil ecosystem. During this process, they unavoidably interact with neighbour bacterial species. We studied the interspecies interactions between biofilms of the soil-residing bacteria B. subtilis and related Bacillus species. We found that proximity between the biofilms triggered recruitment of motile B. subtilis cells, which engulfed the competing Bacillus simplex colony. Upon interaction, B. subtilis secreted surfactin and cannibalism toxins, at concentrations that were inert to B. subtilis itself, which eliminated the B. simplex colony, as well as colonies of Bacillus toyonensis. Surfactin toxicity was correlated with the presence of short carbon-tail length isomers, and synergistic with the cannibalism toxins. Importantly, during biofilm development and interspecies interactions a subpopulation in B. subtilis biofilm lost its native plasmid, leading to increased virulence against the competing Bacillus species. Overall, these findings indicate that genetic programs and traits that have little effect on biofilm development when each species is grown in isolation have a dramatic impact when different bacterial species interact. PMID:28721238

  19. Effect of Bacillus subtilis on Granite Weathering: A Laboratory Experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, W.; Ogawa, N.; Oguchi, C. T.; Hatta, T.; Matsukura, Y.

    2006-12-01

    We performed a comparative experiment to investigate how the ubiquitous soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis weathers granite and which granite-forming minerals weather more rapidly via biological processes. Batch type experiments (granite specimen in a 500 ml solution including NaCl, glucose, yeast extract and bacteria Bacillus subtilis at 27°E C) were carried out for 30 days. Granite surfaces were observed by SEM before and after the experiment. Bacillus subtilis had a strong influence on granite weathering by forming pits. There were 2.4 times as many pits and micropores were 2.3 times wider in granite exposed to Bacillus subtilis when compared with bacteria-free samples. Bacillus subtilis appear to preferentially select an optimum place to adhere to the mineral and dissolve essential elements from the mineral to live. Plagioclase was more vulnerable to bacterial weathering than biotite among the granite composing minerals.

  20. In vitro antimicrobial effect of Satureja wiedemanniana against Bacillus species isolated from raw meat samples.

    PubMed

    Yucel, Nihal; Aslim, Belma; Ozdoğan, Hakan

    2009-08-01

    In this study a total of 30 raw meat samples obtained from Ankara, Turkey were screened for the presence of Bacillus species. Among the meat samples analyzed, the predominant species isolated was Bacillus circulans; other Bacillus species were identified as Bacillus firmus, Bacillus lentus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus sphaericus, and Bacillus cereus. Minced meat samples were more contaminated with Bacillus species than sliced beef sample. From these samples, 242 Bacillus species isolates were obtained, which were investigated for proteolytic and lipolytic activity, associated with meat spoilage. Interestingly, some Bacillus strains produced the highest values of proteolytic/lipolytic activities. Nineteen Bacillus strains were selected among the 242 isolates according to their proteolytic/lipolytic activity with a clear zone diameter of > or =6 mm. The essential oil of Satureja wiedemanniana (Lalem) Velen was also tested against these 19 Bacillus species that had proteolytic and lipolytic activity. The essential oil yield obtained from the aerial parts of the plant was 0.35% (vol/wt). The inhibition zones of the essential oil obtained against all the Bacillus species were in the range of 5.0-12.0 mm. The oil showed high antimicrobial activities against B. licheniformis M 6(26), M 11(16), and M 12(1) strains. B. licheniformis 12(1) showed high lipolytic activity (18.0 mm). Also, B. licheniformis M 6(26) and M 11(16) showed high proteolytic activity (16.0 and 14.0 mm). These results may suggest that an essential oil of S. wiedemanniana can be used as a natural preservative in meat against spoilage bacteria.

  1. BOOK REVIEW – BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS: A CORNERSTONE OF MODERN AGRICULTURE BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Are you interested in the technical issues surrounding the use of Bacillus thuringiensis pesticidal traits as sprays and as plant incorporated protectants (transgenic crops)? Should the dimensions of human health, ecology, entomology, risk assessment, resistance management, and d...

  2. Bacillus purgationiresistans sp. nov., isolated from a drinking-water treatment plant.

    PubMed

    Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; Figueira, Vânia; Lopes, Ana R; Lobo-da-Cunha, Alexandre; Spröer, Cathrin; Schumann, Peter; Nunes, Olga C; Manaia, Célia M

    2012-01-01

    A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile, endospore-forming rod, designated DS22(T), was isolated from a drinking-water treatment plant. Cells were catalase- and oxidase-positive. Growth occurred at 15-37 °C, at pH 7-10 and with <8% (w/v) NaCl (optimum growth: 30 °C, pH 7-8 and 1-3% NaCl). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone 7, the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 36.5 mol% and the cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain DS22(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus. Its closest phylogenetic neighbours were Bacillus horneckiae NRRL B-59162(T) (98.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Bacillus oceanisediminis H2(T) (97.9%), Bacillus infantis SMC 4352-1(T) (97.4%), Bacillus firmus IAM 12464(T) (96.8%) and Bacillus muralis LMG 20238(T) (96.8%). DNA-DNA hybridization, and biochemical and physiological characterization allowed the differentiation of strain DS22(T) from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. The data supports the proposal of a novel species, Bacillus purgationiresistans sp. nov.; the type strain is DS22(T) (=DSM 23494(T)=NRRL B-59432(T)=LMG 25783(T)).

  3. Structural changes of TasA in biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Diehl, Anne; Roske, Yvette; Ball, Linda; Chowdhury, Anup; Hiller, Matthias; Molière, Noel; Kramer, Regina; Stöppler, Daniel; Worth, Catherine L; Schlegel, Brigitte; Leidert, Martina; Cremer, Nils; Erdmann, Natalja; Lopez, Daniel; Stephanowitz, Heike; Krause, Eberhard; van Rossum, Barth-Jan; Schmieder, Peter; Heinemann, Udo; Turgay, Kürşad; Akbey, Ümit; Oschkinat, Hartmut

    2018-03-27

    Microorganisms form surface-attached communities, termed biofilms, which can serve as protection against host immune reactions or antibiotics. Bacillus subtilis biofilms contain TasA as major proteinaceous component in addition to exopolysaccharides. In stark contrast to the initially unfolded biofilm proteins of other bacteria, TasA is a soluble, stably folded monomer, whose structure we have determined by X-ray crystallography. Subsequently, we characterized in vitro different oligomeric forms of TasA by NMR, EM, X-ray diffraction, and analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) experiments. However, by magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR on live biofilms, a swift structural change toward only one of these forms, consisting of homogeneous and protease-resistant, β-sheet-rich fibrils, was observed in vivo. Thereby, we characterize a structural change from a globular state to a fibrillar form in a functional prokaryotic system on the molecular level. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  4. Construction of novel shuttle expression vectors for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus.

    PubMed

    Shao, Huanhuan; Cao, Qinghua; Zhao, Hongyan; Tan, Xuemei; Feng, Hong

    2015-01-01

    A native plasmid (pSU01) was detected by genome sequencing of Bacillus subtilis strain S1-4. Two pSU01-based shuttle expression vectors pSU02-AP and pSU03-AP were constructed enabling stable replication in B. subtilis WB600. These vectors contained the reporter gene aprE, encoding an alkaline protease from Bacillus pumilus BA06. The expression vector pSU03-AP only possessed the minimal replication elements (rep, SSO, DSO) and exhibited more stability on structure, suggesting that the rest of the genes in pSU01 (ORF1, ORF2, mob, hsp) were unessential for the structural stability of plasmid in B. subtilis. In addition, recombinant production of the alkaline protease was achieved more efficiently with pSU03-AP whose copy number was estimated to be more than 100 per chromosome. Furthermore, pSU03-AP could also be used to transform and replicate in B. pumilus BA06 under selective pressure. In conclusion, pSU03-AP is expected to be a useful tool for gene expression in Bacillus subtilis and B. pumilus.

  5. Inhibitory effects of spice essential oils on the growth of Bacillus species.

    PubMed

    Ozcan, Mehmet Musa; Sağdiç, Osman; Ozkan, Gülcan

    2006-01-01

    A series of essential oils of 11 Turkish plant spices [black thyme, cumin, fennel (sweet), laurel, marjoram, mint, oregano, pickling herb, sage, savory, and thyme], used in foods mainly for their flavor, aromas, and preservation, in herbal tea, in alternative medicines, and in natural therapies, were screened for antibacterial effects at 1:50, 1:100, 1:250, and 1:500 dilutions by the paper disc diffusion method against six Bacillus species (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ATCC 3842, Bacillus brevis FMC 3, Bacillus cereus FMC 19, Bacillus megaterium DSM 32, Bacillus subtilis IMG 22, and B. subtilis var. niger ATCC 10). All of the tested essential oils (except for cumin) showed antibacterial activity against one or more of the Bacillus species used in this study. Generally, the essential oils at 1:50 and 1:100 levels were more effective. Only one essential oil (laurel) was not found effective against the tested bacteria. The bacterium most sensitive to all of the spice essential oils was B. amyloliquefaciens ATCC 3842. Based on the results of this study, it is likely that essential oils of some spices may be used as antimicrobial agents to prevent the spoilage of food products.

  6. Characterization of Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, and Paenibacillus polymyxa isolated from a Pinot noir wine from Western Washington State.

    PubMed

    von Cosmos, Nicolas H; Watson, Bruce A; Fellman, J K; Mattinson, D S; Edwards, Charles G

    2017-10-01

    This report provides the first confirmed evidence of Bacillus-like bacteria present in a wine from Washington State. These bacteria were isolated from a 2013 Pinot noir wine whose aroma was sensorially described as being 'dirty' or 'pond scum.' Based on physiological traits and genetic sequencing, three bacterial isolates were identified as Bacillus megaterium (strain NHO-1), Bacillus pumilus (strain NHO-2), and Paenibacillus polymyxa (strain NHO-3). These bacteria grew in synthetic media of low pH (pH 3.5) while some survived ethanol concentrations up to 15% v/v. However, none tolerated molecular SO 2 concentrations ≥0.4 mg/l. Growth of strains NHO-1 and NHO-3 in a Merlot grape juice resulted in increases of titratable and volatile acidities while decreases in titratable acidity were noted for NHO-2. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Distribution and identification of proteolytic Bacillus spp. in paddy field soil under rice cultivation.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, K; Hayano, K

    1993-07-01

    Proteolytic bacteria in paddy field soils under rice cultivation were characterized and enumerated using azocoll agar plates. Bacillus spp. were the proteolytic bacteria that were most frequently present, comprising 59% of the isolates. They were always the numerically dominant proteolytic bacteria isolated from three kinds of fertilizer treatments (yearly application of rice-straw compost and chemical fertilizer, yearly application of chemical fertilizer, and no fertilizer application) and at three different stages of rice development (vegetative growth stage, maximal tillering stage, and harvest stage). Of the 411 proteolytic bacteria isolated, 124 isolates had stronger proteolytic activity than others on the basis of gelatin liquefaction tests and most of them were Bacillus spp. (100% in 1989 and 92.4% in 1991). Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus were the main bacteria of this group and Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus megaterium were also present. We conclude that these Bacillus spp. are the primary source of soil protease in these paddy fields.

  8. A STUDY OF BACILLUS PYOGENES

    PubMed Central

    Brown, J. Howard; Orcutt, Marion L.

    1920-01-01

    Bacillus pyogenes is probably quite common in this country, as it is known to be in Europe. A careful study of twelve strains from cattle and one from a hog has disclosed the following characteristics which have not been reported or have been in dispute. Bacillus pyogenes is Gram-positive and pleomorphic, producing forms ranging from short chains of streptococcoid elements to branching filaments. It is hemolytic, producing the beta type of hemolysis in blood agar. It is not hemoglobinophilic, though its growth is greatly favored by some higher protein material such as egg albumin, serum, or blood. It ferments xylose in addition to the substances previously reported. The coagulation of milk by Bacillus pyogenes is primarily an enzyme coagulation and the subsequent digestion of the curd takes place in an acid medium. The intravenous injection of rabbits was invariably fatal. The lesions most commonly developed were those of the bones. Paralysis was frequently produced, and in each case was caused by lesions in the vertebrae exerting pressure against the ventral columns of the spinal cord. Muscle abscesses were also frequently produced. The authors regard the organism as belonging to the Corynebacteria rather than to the influenza group. PMID:19868442

  9. Micro-Etched Platforms for Thermal Inactivation of Bacillus Anthracis and Bacillus Thuringiensis Spores

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-03-01

    slips was first coated with a detergent wash. Commercially available Ivory soap shavings were diluted with sterile Millipore® water in a...environments. This removed controllable variability between the Bacillus species and increased the confidence in continued use of such surrogacy

  10. Bacillus swezeyi sp. nov. and Bacillus haynesii sp. nov., isolated from desert soil

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Two isolates of Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, motile, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacteria were identified during a survey of the diversity of Bacillus strains deposited in the Agriculture Research Service Culture Collection. These strains were originally isolated from soil in Evolution ...

  11. Biofilms affecting progression of mild steel corrosion by Gram positive Bacillus sp.

    PubMed

    Lin, Johnson; Madida, Bafana B

    2015-10-01

    The biodeterioration of metals have detrimental effects on the environment with economic implications. The deterioration of metals is of great concern to industry. In this study, mild steel coupons which were immersed in a medium containing Gram-positive Bacillus spp. and different nutrient sources were compared with the control in sterile deionized water. The weight loss of the coupons in the presence of Bacillus spp. alone was lower than the control and was further reduced when additional carbon sources, especially fructose, were added. The level of metal corrosion was significantly increased in the presence of nitrate with or without bacteria. There was a significant strong correlation between the weight loss and biofilm level (r =  0.64; p < 0.05). The addition of nitrate and Bacillus spp. produced more biofilms on the coupons and resulted in greater weight loss compared to that with Bacillus spp. only under the same conditions. However, Bacillus spp. enriched with carbon sources formed less biofilms and results in lower weight loss compared to that with Bacillus spp. only. The production of biofilm by Bacillus spp. influences the level of metal corrosion under different environmental conditions, thereby, supporting the development of a preventive strategy against corrosion. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Heavy Metal Detoxification by Different Bacillus Species Isolated from Solar Salterns

    PubMed Central

    Syed, Shameer; Chinthala, Paramageetham

    2015-01-01

    The biosorption mechanism is an alternative for chemical precipitation and ultrafiltration which have been employed to treat heavy metal contamination with a limited success. In the present study, three species of Bacillus which were isolated from solar salterns were screened for their detoxification potential of the heavy metals, lead, chromium, and copper, by biosorption. Biosorption potential of each isolate was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) as the amount of metal present in the medium after the treatment with the isolates. Bacterial isolates, Bacillus licheniformis NSPA5, Bacillus cereus NSPA8, and Bacillus subtilis NSPA13, showed significant level of lead biosorption with maximum of 87–90% by Bacillus cereus NSPA8. The biosorption of copper and chromium was relatively low in comparison with lead. With the obtained results, we have concluded that the bacterial isolates are potential agents to treat metal contamination in more efficient and ecofriendly manner. PMID:26525498

  13. Effects of Mn2+ Levels on the Resistance Properties of Bacillus cereus Spores

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-01-01

    In contrast, Bacillus subtilis spores with over a 200-fold range of protoplast Mn levels exhibited no significant differences in resistance to... Bacillus subtilis . J. Bacteriol. 189:8458-8466. Coleman WH, Zhang P, Li YQ, Setlow P (2010). Mechanism of killing of spores of Bacillus cereus and...Gaidamakova EK, Matrosova VY, Daly MJ, Setlow P (2011). Effects of levels of Mn and Fe on Bacillus subtilis spore resistance, and effects of Mn 2

  14. Distinct differentiation of closely related species of Bacillus subtilis group with industrial importance.

    PubMed

    Jeyaram, Kumaraswamy; Romi, Wahengbam; Singh, Thangjam Anand; Adewumi, Gbenga Adedeji; Basanti, Khundrakpam; Oguntoyinbo, Folarin Anthony

    2011-11-01

    PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene by universal primers followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using RsaI, CfoI and HinfI endonucleases, distinctly differentiated closely related Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus pumilus from Bacillus subtilis sensu stricto. This simple, economical, rapid and reliable protocol could be an alternative to misleading phenotype-based grouping of these closely related species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Characterization of endophytic strains of Bacillus mojavensis and their production of surfactin isomers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus subtilis consists of a large collection of strains from which several cryptic species have been delineated, and most of these along with strains within the species are important biocontrol agents. Bacillus mojavensis, a species recently distinguished from this broad Bacillus subtilis grou...

  16. Bacillus nanhaiisediminis sp. nov., an alkalitolerant member of Bacillus rRNA group 6.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianli; Wang, Jiewei; Song, Fei; Fang, Caiyuan; Xin, Yuhua; Zhang, Yabo

    2011-05-01

    A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain NH3(T), was isolated from a sediment sample from the South China Sea and was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The isolate grew optimally at 37 °C and pH 9. Strain NH3(T) had cell-wall peptidoglycan based on meso-diaminopimelic acid and MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The cellular fatty acid profile included significant amounts of iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(14 : 0). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of strain NH3(T) was 40.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain NH3(T) was a member of rRNA group 6 of the genus Bacillus, which includes alkalitolerant, alkaliphilic and halotolerant species. The closest phylogenetic relatives were Bacillus akibai 1139(T) (96.82 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), B. pseudofirmus DSM 8715(T) (96.76 %), B. okhensis Kh10-101(T) (96.76 %) and B. alkalidiazotrophicus MS 6(T) (96.47 %). Strain NH3(T) could be distinguished from these phylogenetically close neighbours based on a number of phenotypic properties. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and phylogenetic data, we conclude that strain NH3(T) ( = CGMCC 1.10116(T)  = JCM 16507(T)) merits classification as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Bacillus nanhaiisediminis sp. nov. is proposed.

  17. Bacillus cereus Biofilms—Same, Only Different

    PubMed Central

    Majed, Racha; Faille, Christine; Kallassy, Mireille; Gohar, Michel

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus cereus displays a high diversity of lifestyles and ecological niches and include beneficial as well as pathogenic strains. These strains are widespread in the environment, are found on inert as well as on living surfaces and contaminate persistently the production lines of the food industry. Biofilms are suspected to play a key role in this ubiquitous distribution and in this persistency. Indeed, B. cereus produces a variety of biofilms which differ in their architecture and mechanism of formation, possibly reflecting an adaptation to various environments. Depending on the strain, B. cereus has the ability to grow as immersed or floating biofilms, and to secrete within the biofilm a vast array of metabolites, surfactants, bacteriocins, enzymes, and toxins, all compounds susceptible to act on the biofilm itself and/or on its environment. Within the biofilm, B. cereus exists in different physiological states and is able to generate highly resistant and adhesive spores, which themselves will increase the resistance of the bacterium to antimicrobials or to cleaning procedures. Current researches show that, despite similarities with the regulation processes and effector molecules involved in the initiation and maturation of the extensively studied Bacillus subtilis biofilm, important differences exists between the two species. The present review summarizes the up to date knowledge on biofilms produced by B. cereus and by two closely related pathogens, Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus anthracis. Economic issues caused by B. cereus biofilms and management strategies implemented to control these biofilms are included in this review, which also discuss the ecological and functional roles of biofilms in the lifecycle of these bacterial species and explore future developments in this important research area. PMID:27458448

  18. Isolation and expression of a Bacillus cereus gene encoding benzil reductase.

    PubMed

    Maruyama, R; Nishizawa, M; Itoi, Y; Ito, S; Inoue, M

    2001-12-20

    Benzil was reduced stereospecifically to (S)-benzoin by Bacillus cereus strain Tim-r01. To isolate the gene responsible for asymmetric reduction, we constructed a library consisting of Escherichia coli clones that harbored plasmids expressing Bacillus cereus genes. The library was screened using the halo formation assay, and one clone showed benzil reduction to (S)-benzoin. Thus, this clone seemed to carry a plasmid encoding a Bacillus cereus benzil reductase. The deduced amino acid sequence had marked homologies to the Bacillus subtilis yueD protein (41% identity), the yeast open reading frame YIR036C protein (31%), and the mammalian sepiapterin reductases (28% to 30%), suggesting that benzil reductase is a novel short-chain de-hydrogenases/ reductase. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  19. Role of Th17 Cell in Tubercle Bacillus Infection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Dandan

    2018-01-01

    Tuberculosis is mainly a kind of lung disease. Normal immune cell expression can inhibit proliferation of tubercle bacillus in the lungs, but this may also lead to chronic inflammation and pathological lesion. Th17 cell is a newly discovered CD4 + effector T cell subsets, whose differentiation and roles are influenced by various cytokines in the surrounding environment. Th17 cell plays an important role in resisting tubercle bacillus infection, but also it may cause pathological damage through the inflammatory response. Therefore, to balance two kinds of roles of Th17 cells in tubercle bacillus infection can effectively protect the body. This paper intends to do a summary on differentiation, regulation, and biological functions of Th17 cell.

  20. Bacillus: A Biological Tool for Crop Improvement through Bio-Molecular Changes in Adverse Environments

    PubMed Central

    Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Hashem, Abeer; Abd_Allah, Elsayed F.

    2017-01-01

    Crop productivity is affected by environmental and genetic factors. Microbes that are beneficial to plants are used to enhance the crop yield and are alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Pseudomonas and Bacillus species are the predominant plant growth-promoting bacteria. The spore-forming ability of Bacillus is distinguished from that of Pseudomonas. Members of this genus also survive for a long time under unfavorable environmental conditions. Bacillus spp. secrete several metabolites that trigger plant growth and prevent pathogen infection. Limited studies have been conducted to understand the physiological changes that occur in crops in response to Bacillus spp. to provide protection against adverse environmental conditions. This review describes the current understanding of Bacillus-induced physiological changes in plants as an adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. During water scarcity, salinity and heavy metal accumulate in soil, Bacillus spp. produce exopolysaccharides and siderophores, which prevent the movement of toxic ions and adjust the ionic balance and water transport in plant tissues while controlling the pathogenic microbial population. In addition, the synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase by Bacillus regulates the intracellular phytohormone metabolism and increases plant stress tolerance. Cell-wall-degrading substances, such as chitosanase, protease, cellulase, glucanase, lipopeptides and hydrogen cyanide from Bacillus spp. damage the pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses and pests to control their populations in plants and agricultural lands. The normal plant metabolism is affected by unfavorable environmental stimuli, which suppress crop growth and yield. Abiotic and biotic stress factors that have detrimental effects on crops are mitigated by Bacillus-induced physiological changes, including the regulation of water transport, nutrient up-take and

  1. Bacillus: A Biological Tool for Crop Improvement through Bio-Molecular Changes in Adverse Environments.

    PubMed

    Radhakrishnan, Ramalingam; Hashem, Abeer; Abd Allah, Elsayed F

    2017-01-01

    Crop productivity is affected by environmental and genetic factors. Microbes that are beneficial to plants are used to enhance the crop yield and are alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Pseudomonas and Bacillus species are the predominant plant growth-promoting bacteria. The spore-forming ability of Bacillus is distinguished from that of Pseudomonas . Members of this genus also survive for a long time under unfavorable environmental conditions. Bacillus spp. secrete several metabolites that trigger plant growth and prevent pathogen infection. Limited studies have been conducted to understand the physiological changes that occur in crops in response to Bacillus spp. to provide protection against adverse environmental conditions. This review describes the current understanding of Bacillus -induced physiological changes in plants as an adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. During water scarcity, salinity and heavy metal accumulate in soil, Bacillus spp. produce exopolysaccharides and siderophores, which prevent the movement of toxic ions and adjust the ionic balance and water transport in plant tissues while controlling the pathogenic microbial population. In addition, the synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid and1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase by Bacillus regulates the intracellular phytohormone metabolism and increases plant stress tolerance. Cell-wall-degrading substances, such as chitosanase, protease, cellulase, glucanase, lipopeptides and hydrogen cyanide from Bacillus spp. damage the pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses and pests to control their populations in plants and agricultural lands. The normal plant metabolism is affected by unfavorable environmental stimuli, which suppress crop growth and yield. Abiotic and biotic stress factors that have detrimental effects on crops are mitigated by Bacillus -induced physiological changes, including the regulation of water transport, nutrient up-take and

  2. Identification and Pathogenic Potential of Clinical Bacillus and Paenibacillus Isolates

    PubMed Central

    Celandroni, Francesco; Salvetti, Sara; Gueye, Sokhna Aissatou; Mazzantini, Diletta; Lupetti, Antonella; Senesi, Sonia; Ghelardi, Emilia

    2016-01-01

    The soil-related Bacillus and Paenibacillus species have increasingly been implicated in various human diseases. Nevertheless, their identification still poses problems in the clinical microbiology laboratory and, with the exception of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus cereus, little is known on their pathogenicity for humans. In this study, we evaluated the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption—ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in the identification of clinical isolates of these genera and conducted genotypic and phenotypic analyses to highlight specific virulence properties. Seventy-five clinical isolates were subjected to biochemical and MALDI-TOF MS identification. 16S rDNA sequencing and supplemental tests were used to solve any discrepancies or failures in the identification results. MALDI-TOF MS significantly outperformed classical biochemical testing for correct species identification and no misidentification was obtained. One third of the collected strains belonged to the B. cereus species, but also Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis were isolated at high rate. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that all the B. cereus, B. licheniformis, B. simplex, B. mycoides, Paenibacillus glucanolyticus and Paenibacillus lautus isolates are resistant to penicillin. The evaluation of toxin/enzyme secretion, toxin-encoding genes, motility, and biofilm formation revealed that B. cereus displays the highest virulence potential. However, although generally considered nonpathogenic, most of the other species were shown to swim, swarm, produce biofilms, and secrete proteases that can have a role in bacterial virulence. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS appears useful for fast and accurate identification of Bacillus and Paenibacillus strains whose virulence properties make them of increasing clinical relevance. PMID:27031639

  3. Reparation and Immunomodulating Properties of Bacillus sp. Metabolites from Permafrost.

    PubMed

    Kalenova, L F; Melnikov, V P; Besedin, I M; Bazhin, A S; Gabdulin, M A; Kolyvanova, S S

    2017-09-01

    An ointment containing metabolites of Bacillus sp. microorganisms isolated from permafrost samples was applied onto the skin wound of BALB/c mice. Metabolites isolated during culturing of Bacillus sp. at 37°C produced a potent therapeutic effect and promoted wound epithelialization by 30% in comparison with the control (ointment base) and by 20% in comparison with Solcoseryl. Treatment with Bacillus sp. metabolites stimulated predominantly humoral immunity, reduced the time of wound contraction and the volume of scar tissue, and promoted complete hair recovery. These metabolites can be considered as modulators of the wound process with predominance of regeneration mechanisms.

  4. Bacillus siamensis sp. nov., isolated from salted crab (poo-khem) in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Sumpavapol, Punnanee; Tongyonk, Linna; Tanasupawat, Somboon; Chokesajjawatee, Nipa; Luxananil, Plearnpis; Visessanguan, Wonnop

    2010-10-01

    A Gram-positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, strain PD-A10(T), was isolated from salted crab (poo-khem) in Thailand and subjected to a taxonomic study. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, including phylogenetic analyses, showed that the novel strain was a member of the genus Bacillus. The novel strain grew in medium with 0-14 % (w/v) NaCl, at 4-55°C and at pH4.5-9. The predominant quinone was a menaquinone with seven isoprene units (MK-7). The major fatty acids were anteiso-C₁₅:₀ and anteiso-C₁₇:₀. Polar lipid analysis revealed the presence of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, lysylphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid and unknown lipids. The DNA G+C content was 41.4 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities between strain PD-A10(T) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T), Bacillus subtilis DSM 10(T), Bacillus vallismortis DSM 11031(T) and Bacillus mojavensis IFO 15718(T) were 99.5, 99.4, 99.4 and 99.2 %, respectively. Strain PD-A10(T) showed a low degree similarity of rep-PCR fingerprints and low DNA-DNA relatedness with the above-mentioned species. On the basis of the data gathered in this study, strain PD-A10(T) should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus siamensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PD-A10(T) (=BCC 22614(T)=KCTC 13613(T)).

  5. Butyric acid released during milk lipolysis triggers biofilm formation of Bacillus species.

    PubMed

    Pasvolsky, Ronit; Zakin, Varda; Ostrova, Ievgeniia; Shemesh, Moshe

    2014-07-02

    Bacillus species form biofilms within milking pipelines and on surfaces of equipment in the dairy industry which represent a continuous hygiene problem and can lead to serious economic losses due to food spoilage and equipment impairment. Although much is known about the mechanism by which the model organism Bacillus subtilis forms biofilms in laboratory mediums in vitro, little is known of how these biofilms are formed in natural environments such as milk. Besides, little is known of the signaling pathways leading to biofilm formation in other Bacillus species, such as Bacillus cereus and Bacillus licheniformis, both of which are known to contaminate milk. In this study, we report that milk triggers the formation of biofilm-related structures, termed bundles. We show this to be a conserved phenomenon among all Bacillus members tested. Moreover, we demonstrate that the tasA gene, which encodes a major portion of the matrix which holds the biofilm together, is vital for this process. Furthermore, we show that the free fatty acid (FFA) - butyric acid (BA), which is released during lipolysis of milk fat and demonstrates antimicrobial activity, is the potent trigger for biofilm bundle formation. We finally show that BA-triggered biofilm bundle formation is mediated by the histidine kinase, KinD. Taken together, these observations indicate that BA, which is a major FFA within milk triggers biofilm formation in a conserved mechanism among members of the Bacillus genus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. New inhibitors of colony spreading in Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus anthracis.

    PubMed

    Hao, Xin; Nguyen, Tam; Kearns, Daniel B; Arpin, Carolynn C; Fall, Ray; Sammakia, Tarek

    2011-09-15

    We have recently characterized sliding motility in Bacillus subtilis strains that lack functional flagella, and here describe the discovery of inhibitors of colony spreading in these strains as well as the aflagellate pathogen, Bacillus anthracis. Aflagellate B. subtilis strains were used to screen for new types of antibacterials that might inhibit colony spreading on semi-solid media. From a diverse set of organic structures, p-nitrophenylglycerol (NPG), an agent used primarily in clinical laboratories to control Proteus swarming, was found to inhibit colony spreading. The four stereoisomers of NPG were synthesized and tested, and only the 1R,2S-(1R-anti) and 1R,2R-(1R-syn) NPG isomers had significant activity in a quantitative colony-spreading assay. Twenty-six NPG analogs and related structures were synthesized and tested to identify more active inhibitors. p-Methylsulfonylphenylglycerol (p-SPG), but not its ortho or meta analogs, was found to be the most effective of these compounds, and synthesis and testing of all four p-SPG stereoisomers showed that the 1R-anti-isomer was the most active with an average IC(50) of 16 μM (3-5 μg mL(-1)). For B. anthracis, the colony-spreading IC(50) values for 1R-anti-SPG and 1R-anti-NPG are 12 μM (2-4 μg mL(-1)) and >150 μM, respectively. For both Bacillus species tested, 1R-anti-SPG inhibits colony spreading of surface cultures on agar plates, but is not bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal in liquid cultures. Work is in progress to find the cellular target(s) of the NPG/SPG class of compounds, since this could lead to an understanding of the mechanism(s) of colony spreading as well as design and development of more potent inhibitors for the control of B. anthracis surface cultures. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Comparative evaluation of agroindustrial byproducts for the production of alkaline protease by wild and mutant strains of Bacillus subtilis in submerged and solid state fermentation.

    PubMed

    Mukhtar, Hamid; Haq, Ikramul

    2013-01-01

    The present study describes the screening of different agroindustrial byproducts for enhanced production of alkaline protease by a wild and EMS induced mutant strain of Bacillus subtilis IH-72(EMS8). During submerged fermentation, different agro-industrial byproducts were tested which include defatted seed meals of rape, guar, sunflower, gluten, cotton, soybean, and gram. In addition to these meals, rice bran, wheat bran, and wheat flour were also evaluated for protease production. Of all the byproducts tested, soybean meal at a concentration of 20 g/L gave maximum production of the enzyme, that is, 5.74  ±  0.26 U/mL from wild and 11.28  ±  0.45 U/mL from mutant strain, during submerged fermentation. Different mesh sizes (coarse, medium, and fine) of the soybean meal were also evaluated, and a finely ground soybean meal (fine mesh) was found to be the best. In addition to the defatted seed meals, their alkali extracts were also tested for the production of alkaline protease by Bacillus subtilis, but these were proved nonsignificant for enhanced production of the enzyme. The production of the enzyme was also studied in solid state fermentation, and different agro-industrial byproducts were also evaluated for enzyme production. Wheat bran partially replaced with guar meal was found as the best substrate for maximum enzyme production under solid state fermentation conditions.

  8. Comparative Evaluation of Agroindustrial Byproducts for the Production of Alkaline Protease by Wild and Mutant Strains of Bacillus subtilis in Submerged and Solid State Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Haq, Ikramul

    2013-01-01

    The present study describes the screening of different agroindustrial byproducts for enhanced production of alkaline protease by a wild and EMS induced mutant strain of Bacillus subtilis IH-72EMS8. During submerged fermentation, different agro-industrial byproducts were tested which include defatted seed meals of rape, guar, sunflower, gluten, cotton, soybean, and gram. In addition to these meals, rice bran, wheat bran, and wheat flour were also evaluated for protease production. Of all the byproducts tested, soybean meal at a concentration of 20 g/L gave maximum production of the enzyme, that is, 5.74  ±  0.26 U/mL from wild and 11.28  ±  0.45 U/mL from mutant strain, during submerged fermentation. Different mesh sizes (coarse, medium, and fine) of the soybean meal were also evaluated, and a finely ground soybean meal (fine mesh) was found to be the best. In addition to the defatted seed meals, their alkali extracts were also tested for the production of alkaline protease by Bacillus subtilis, but these were proved nonsignificant for enhanced production of the enzyme. The production of the enzyme was also studied in solid state fermentation, and different agro-industrial byproducts were also evaluated for enzyme production. Wheat bran partially replaced with guar meal was found as the best substrate for maximum enzyme production under solid state fermentation conditions. PMID:24294129

  9. Construction of probe of the plant growth-promoting bacteria Bacillus subtilis useful for fluorescence in situ hybridization.

    PubMed

    Posada, Luisa F; Alvarez, Javier C; Hu, Chia-Hui; de-Bashan, Luz E; Bashan, Yoav

    2016-09-01

    Strains of Bacillus subtilis are plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) of many crops and are used as inoculants. PGPB colonization is an important trait for success of a PGPB on plants. A specific probe, based on the 16 s rRNA of Bacillus subtilis, was designed and evaluated to distinguishing, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), between this species and the closely related Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The selected target for the probe was between nucleotides 465 and 483 of the gene, where three different nucleotides can be identified. The designed probe successfully hybridized with several strains of Bacillus subtilis, but failed to hybridize not only with B. amyloliquefaciens, but also with other strains such as Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus gibsonii, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus; and with the external phylogenetic strains Azospirillum brasilense Cd, Micrococcus sp. and Paenibacillus sp. The results showed the specificity of this molecular probe for B. subtilis.

  10. Differentiation of strains from the Bacillus cereus group by RFLP-PFGE genomic fingerprinting.

    PubMed

    Otlewska, Anna; Oltuszak-Walczak, Elzbieta; Walczak, Piotr

    2013-11-01

    Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus pseudomycoides, Bacillus weihenstephanensis, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus cereus belong to the B. cereus group. The last three species are characterized by different phenotype features and pathogenicity spectrum, but it has been shown that these species are genetically closely related. The macrorestriction analysis of the genomic DNA with the NotI enzyme was used to generate polymorphism of restriction profiles for 39 food-borne isolates (B. cereus, B. mycoides) and seven reference strains (B. mycoides, B. thuringiensis, B. weihenstephanensis, and B. cereus). The PFGE method was applied to differentiate the examined strains of the B. cereus group. On the basis of the unweighted pair group method with the arithmetic mean method and Dice coefficient, the strains were divided into five clusters (types A-E), and the most numerous group was group A (25 strains). A total of 21 distinct pulsotypes were observed. The RFLP-PFGE analysis was successfully used for the differentiation and characterization of B. cereus and B. mycoides strains isolated from different food products. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Binding Affinity of Glycoconjugates to BACILLUS Spores and Toxins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rasol, Aveen; Eassa, Souzan; Tarasenko, Olga

    2010-04-01

    Early recognition of Bacillus cereus group species is important since they can cause food-borne illnesses and deadly diseases in humans. Glycoconjugates (GCs) are carbohydrates covalently linked to non-sugar moieties including lipids, proteins or other entities. GCs are involved in recognition and signaling processes intrinsic to biochemical functions in cells. They also stimulate cell-cell adhesion and subsequent recognition and activation of receptors. We have demonstrated that GCs are involved in Bacillus cereus spore recognition. In the present study, we have investigated whether GCs possess the ability to bind and recognize B. cereus spores and Bacillus anthracis recombinant single toxins (sTX) and complex toxins (cTX). The affinity of GCs to spores + sTX and spores + cTX toxins was studied in the binding essay. Our results demonstrated that GC9 and GC10 were able to selectively bind to B. cereus spores and B. anthracis toxins. Different binding affinities for GCs were found toward Bacillus cereus spores + sTX and spores + cTX. Dilution of GCs does not impede the recognition and binding. Developed method provides a tool for simultaneous recognition and targeting of spores, bacteria toxins, and/or other entities.

  12. Bacillus ciccensis sp. nov., isolated from maize (Zea mays L.) seeds.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yang; Li, Nannan; Eom, Mi Kyung; Schumann, Peter; Zhang, Xin; Cao, Yanhua; Ge, Yuanyuan; Xiao, Ming; Zhao, Jiuran; Cheng, Chi; Kim, Song-Gun

    2017-11-01

    Two Gram-stain-positive bacterial strains, designated as 5L6 T and 6L6, isolated from seeds of hybrid maize (Zea mays L., Jingke 968) were investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells were aerobic, motile, endospore-forming and rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolates were recognized as a species of the genus Bacillus, to which the five closest neighbours are Bacillus solani FJAT-18043 T (99.8 % similarity), Bacillus horneckiae DSM 23495 T (97.7 %), Bacillus eiseniae A1-2 T (97.4 %), Bacillus kochii WCC 4582 T (97.1 %) and Bacillus purgationiresistens DS22 T (97.0 %). The DNA G+C content of strain 5L6 T was 37.4 mol%. Its polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7 and the major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0, anteiso-C17 : 0 and C16 : 1 ω7c alcohol. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained ornithine, serine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine while diaminopimelic acid could not be detected. Strains 5L6 T and 6L6 were clearly distinguished from the type strains of related validly named species using phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, fatty acid analysis, peptidoglycan analysis and comparison of a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. The genotypic and phenotypic data show that strains 5L6 T and 6L6 represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillusciccensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 5L6 T (=KCTC 33663 T =CICC 23855 T =DSM 104513 T ).

  13. Decontamination Efficacy and Skin Toxicity of Two Decontaminants against Bacillus anthracis

    PubMed Central

    Stratilo, Chad W.; Crichton, Melissa K. F.; Sawyer, Thomas W.

    2015-01-01

    Decontamination of bacterial endospores such as Bacillus anthracis has traditionally required the use of harsh or caustic chemicals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a chlorine dioxide decontaminant in killing Bacillus anthracis spores in solution and on a human skin simulant (porcine cadaver skin), compared to that of commonly used sodium hypochlorite or soapy water decontamination procedures. In addition, the relative toxicities of these decontaminants were compared in human skin keratinocyte primary cultures. The chlorine dioxide decontaminant was similarly effective to sodium hypochlorite in reducing spore numbers of Bacillus anthracis Ames in liquid suspension after a 10 minute exposure. After five minutes, the chlorine dioxide product was significantly more efficacious. Decontamination of isolated swine skin contaminated with Bacillus anthracis Sterne with the chlorine dioxide product resulted in no viable spores sampled. The toxicity of the chlorine dioxide decontaminant was up to two orders of magnitude less than that of sodium hypochlorite in human skin keratinocyte cultures. In summary, the chlorine dioxide based decontaminant efficiently killed Bacillus anthracis spores in liquid suspension, as well as on isolated swine skin, and was less toxic than sodium hypochlorite in cultures of human skin keratinocytes. PMID:26394165

  14. CHLORINE INACTIVATION OF BACILLUS ENDOSPORES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The possibility of a bioterrorism event resulting in the release of Bacillus anthracis endospores into a drinking water distribution system necessitates research into means by which these endospores can be inactivated. This study was designed to determine the chlorine resistance...

  15. Dry thermal resistance of Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) spores and spores of other Bacillus species: implications for biological agent destruction via waste incineration.

    PubMed

    Wood, J P; Lemieux, P; Betancourt, D; Kariher, P; Gatchalian, N G

    2010-07-01

    To obtain needed data on the dry thermal resistance of Bacillus anthracis spores and other Bacillus species for waste incinerator applications. Tests were conducted in a pilot-scale incinerator utilizing biological indicators comprised of spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus atrophaeus and B. anthracis (Sterne) and embedded in building material bundles. Tests were also conducted in a dry heat oven to determine the destruction kinetics for the same species. In the pilot-scale incinerator tests, B. atrophaeus and G. stearothermophilus demonstrated similar thermal sensitivity, but B. anthracis (Sterne) was less thermally resistant than G. stearothermophilus. For the dry heat oven tests conducted at 175°C, the D-values were 0·4, 0·2 and 0·3 min for B. atrophaeus, B. anthracis (Sterne) and G. stearothermophilus, respectively. Bacillus anthracis (Sterne) possesses similar or less dry heat resistance compared to B. atrophaeus and G. stearothermophilus. Previous studies have demonstrated conditions under which bacterial spores may survive in an incinerator environment. The data from this study may assist in the selection of surrogates or indicator micro-organisms to ensure B. anthracis spores embedded in building materials are completely inactivated in an incinerator. © 2009 The Society for Applied Microbiology, Journal of Applied Microbiology. No claim to US Government works.

  16. Isolation and characterization of Bacillus sp. GFP-2, a novel Bacillus strain with antimicrobial activities, from Whitespotted bamboo shark intestine.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jia; Xu, Guoqiang; Jin, Yangyang; Sun, Cong; Zhou, Li; Lin, Guodong; Xu, Rong; Wei, Ling; Fei, Hui; Wang, Dan; Chen, Jianqing; Lv, Zhengbing; Liu, Kuancheng

    2018-05-22

    The abuse of antibiotics and following rapidly increasing of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is the serious threat to our society. Natural products from microorganism are regarded as the important substitution antimicrobial agents of antibiotics. We isolated a new strain, Bacillus sp. GFP-2, from the Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Whitespotted bamboo shark) intestine, which showed great inhibitory effects on the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the growth of salmon was effectively promoted when fed with inactivated strain GFP-2 as the inhibition agent of pathogenic bacteria. The genes encoding antimicrobial peptides like LCI, YFGAP and hGAPDH and gene clusters for secondary metabolites and bacteriocins, such as difficidin, bacillibactin, bacilysin, surfactin, butirosin, macrolactin, bacillaene, fengycin, lanthipeptides and LCI, were predicted in the genome of Bacillus sp. GFP-2, which might be expressed and contribute to the antimicrobial activities of this strain. The gene encoding β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was successfully cloned from the genome and this protein was detected in the culture supernatant of Bacillus sp. GFP-2 by the antibody produced in rabbit immunized with the recombinant β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, indicating that this strain could express β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, which might partially contribute to its antimicrobial activities. This study can enhance a better understanding of the mechanism of antimicrobial activities in genus Bacillus and provide a useful material for the biotechnology study in antimicrobial agent development.

  17. Reclassification of Bacillus marismortui as Salibacillus marismortui comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Arahal, D R; Márquez, M C; Volcani, B E; Schleifer, K H; Ventosa, A

    2000-07-01

    Recently, the features of a group of strains isolated from Dead Sea enrichments obtained in 1936 by one of us (B. E. Volcani) were described. They were gram-positive, moderately halophilic, spore-forming rods, and were placed in a new species, Bacillus marismortui. At the same time, the new genus Salibacillus was proposed for the halophilic species Bacillus salexigens. B. marismortui and Salibacillus salexigens have similar phenotypic characteristics and the same peptidoglycan type. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequence comparisons showed that they are sufficiently closely related (96.6% similarity) as to warrant placement in the same genus. However, DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed that they constitute two separate species (41% DNA similarity). Therefore the reclassification of Bacillus marismortui as Salibacillus marismortui comb. nov. is proposed.

  18. [Diversity of Bacillus species inhabiting on the surface and endophyte of lichens collected from Wuyi Mountain].

    PubMed

    Ge, Cibin; Liu, Bo; Che, Jianmei; Chen, Meichun; Liu, Guohong; Wei, Jiangchun

    2015-05-04

    The present work reported the isolation, identification and diversity of Bacillus species colonizing on the surface and endophyte in lichens collected from Wuyi Mountain. Nine lichen samples of Evernia, Stereocaulon, Menegazzia and other 6 genera belonging to 7 families were collected from Wuyi mountain nature reserve. The bacillus-like species colonizing on the surface and endophyte in these lichens were isolated and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. There was no bacillus-like species isolated from Evernia, Ramalina and Lecarona. A total of 34 bacillus-like bacteria were isolated from another 6 lichen samples. These bacteria were identified as 24 species and were classified into Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Brevibacillus, Lysinibacillus and Viridiibacillus. Paenibacillus and Bacillus are the dominant genera, and accounting for 41. 2% and 35. 3% of all isolated bacteria respectively. Brevibacillus, Lysinibacillus and Viridiibacillu were first reported being isolated from lichens. There were different species and quantity of bacillus colonizing on the surface and endophyte in different lichens. The quantity of bacillus colonizing on the surface of Physcia was more than 3.85 x 10(6) cfu/g and was the largest in the isolated bacteria, while the species of bacillus colonizing on the surface and endophyte in Stereocaulon was the most abundant. Most of the isolated bacteria were colonizing on (in) one lichen genera, but Paenibacillus taichungensis, Paenibacillus odorifer, Brevibacillus agri, Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus was respectively colonizing on (in) 2-3 lichen genera and Bacillus mycoides was colonizing on (in) Menegazzia, Cladonia Physcia, and Stereocaulon. There are species and quantity diversity of bacillus colonizing on (in) lichens.

  19. Bacillus spore-based oral carriers loading curcumin for the therapy of colon cancer.

    PubMed

    Yin, Liang; Meng, Zhan; Zhang, Yuxiao; Hu, Kaikai; Chen, Wuya; Han, Kaibin; Wu, Bao-Yan; You, Rong; Li, Chu-Hua; Jin, Ying; Guan, Yan-Qing

    2018-02-10

    Oral drug delivery has attracted substantial attention due to its advantages over other administration routes. Bacillus spores, as oral probiotic agents, are applied widely. In this paper, a novel Bacillus spore-based oral colon targeted carrier loading curcumin was developed for colon cancer treatment. Curcumin was linked covalently with the outer coat of Bacillus spore and folate, respectively (SPORE-CUR-FA). Bacillus spores are capable of delivering drugs to the colon area through gastric barrier, taking the advantage of its tolerance to the harsh conditions and disintegration of the outer coat of spores after germination in the colon. The drug release in vitro and in vivo of SPORE-CUR-FA was investigated. Results showed that SPORE-CUR-FA had the characteristics of colon-targeted drug release. Pharmacokinetic studies confirmed that Bacillus spore-based carriers could efficiently improve the oral bioavailability of curcumin. In vitro and in vivo anti-tumor studies showed that SPORE-CUR-FA had substantial ability for inhibiting colon cancer cells. These findings suggest that this Bacillus spore-based oral drug delivery system has a great potential for the treatment of colon cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Study of the Bacillus flora of Nigerian spices.

    PubMed

    Antai, S P

    1988-05-01

    Bacteriological examination of 230 samples of five different unprocessed spices (aligator pepper, red pepper, black pepper, thyme and curry powder) collected randomly from Port Harcourt main markets revealed that the spices were highly contaminated, with bacterial counts ranging from 1.8 x 10(4) to 1.1 x 10(8) per gram. Bacillus cereus was isolated in high numbers in the majority of the 230 samples examined. It was also observed that other Bacillus spp. including B. subtilis, B. polymyxa and B. coagulans occurred in significant numbers.

  1. Bacillus horneckiae sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly clean room.

    PubMed

    Vaishampayan, Parag; Probst, Alexander; Krishnamurthi, Srinivasan; Ghosh, Sudeshna; Osman, Shariff; McDowall, Alasdair; Ruckmani, Arunachalam; Mayilraj, Shanmugam; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

    2010-05-01

    Five Gram-stain-positive, motile, aerobic strains were isolated from a clean room of the Kennedy Space Center where the Phoenix spacecraft was assembled. All strains are rod-shaped, spore-forming bacteria, whose spores were resistant to UV radiation up to 1000 J m(-2). The spores were subterminally positioned and produced an external layer. A polyphasic taxonomic study including traditional biochemical tests, fatty acid analysis, cell-wall typing, lipid analyses, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization studies was performed to characterize these novel strains. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and lipid analyses convincingly grouped these novel strains within the genus Bacillus as a cluster separate from already described species. The similarity of 16S rRNA gene sequences among the novel strains was >99 %, but the similarity was only about 97 % with their nearest neighbours Bacillus pocheonensis, Bacillus firmus and Bacillus bataviensis. DNA-DNA hybridization dissociation values were <24 % to the closest related type strains. The novel strains had a G+C content 35.6+/-0.5 mol% and could liquefy gelatin but did not utilize or produce acids from any of the carbon substrates tested. The major fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) and anteiso-C(15 : 0) and the cell-wall diamino acid was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic results, it is concluded that these strains represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus horneckiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 1P01SC(T) (=NRRL B-59162(T) =MTCC 9535(T)).

  2. Effect of Hyperbaric Carbon Dioxide on Spores and Vegetative Cells of Bacillus stearothermophilus

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-05-01

    BACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS DTIC ELECTE JUN131994 D By Chester T. Roskey* Anthony Sikes *Framingham State College Framingham, MA 01701 94-18004...Spores and Vegetative Cells of Bacillus Stearothermophilus 6. AUTHOR(S) Dr. Chester T. Roskey* & Dr. Anthony Sikes 5 FUNDING NUMBERS PR: TB040...SUBJECT TERMS BACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS THERM0PHILIC BACTERIA THERM0PHILIC SPOILAGE 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 39 16 PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY

  3. Antimicrobial peptides of the genus Bacillus: a new era for antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Sumi, Chandra Datta; Yang, Byung Wook; Yeo, In-Cheol; Hahm, Young Tae

    2015-02-01

    The rapid onset of resistance reduces the efficacy of most conventional antimicrobial drugs and is a general cause of concern for human well-being. Thus, there is great demand for a continuous supply of novel antibiotics to combat this problem. Bacteria-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have long been used as food preservatives; moreover, prior to the development of conventional antibiotics, these AMPs served as an efficient source of antibiotics. Recently, peptides produced by members of the genus Bacillus were shown to have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microbes. Bacillus-derived AMPs can be synthesized both ribosomally and nonribosomally and can be classified according to peptide biosynthesis, structure, and molecular weight. The precise mechanism of action of these AMPs is not yet clear; however, one proposed mechanism is that these AMPs kill bacteria by forming channels in and (or) disrupting the bacterial cell wall. Bacillus-derived AMPs have potential in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the food and agricultural sectors. Here, we focus on Bacillus-derived AMPs as a novel alternative approach to antibacterial drug development. We also provide an overview of the biosynthesis, mechanisms of action, applications, and effectiveness of different AMPs produced by members of the Bacillus genus, including several recently identified novel AMPs.

  4. Evaluation of in situ valine production by Bacillus subtilis in young pigs.

    PubMed

    Nørgaard, J V; Canibe, N; Soumeh, E A; Jensen, B B; Nielsen, B; Derkx, P; Cantor, M D; Blaabjerg, K; Poulsen, H D

    2016-11-01

    Mutants of Bacillus subtilis can be developed to overproduce Val in vitro. It was hypothesized that addition of Bacillus subtilis mutants to pig diets can be a strategy to supply the animal with Val. The objective was to investigate the effect of Bacillus subtilis mutants on growth performance and blood amino acid (AA) concentrations when fed to piglets. Experiment 1 included 18 pigs (15.0±1.1 kg) fed one of three diets containing either 0.63 or 0.69 standardized ileal digestible (SID) Val : Lys, or 0.63 SID Val : Lys supplemented with a Bacillus subtilis mutant (mutant 1). Blood samples were obtained 0.5 h before feeding and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h after feeding and analyzed for AAs. In Experiment 2, 80 piglets (9.1±1.1 kg) were fed one of four diets containing 0.63 or 0.67 SID Val : Lys, or 0.63 SID Val : Lys supplemented with another Bacillus subtilis mutant (mutant 2) or its parent wild type. Average daily feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio were measured on days 7, 14 and 21. On day 17, blood samples were taken and analyzed for AAs. On days 24 to 26, six pigs from each dietary treatment were fitted with a permanent jugular vein catheter, and blood samples were taken for AA analysis 0.5 h before feeding and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h after feeding. In experiment 1, Bacillus subtilis mutant 1 tended (P<0.10) to increase the plasma levels of Val at 2 and 3 h post-feeding, but this was not confirmed in Experiment 2. In Experiment 2, Bacillus subtilis mutant 2 and the wild type did not result in a growth performance different from the negative and positive controls. In conclusion, results obtained with the mutant strains of Bacillus subtilis were not better than results obtained with the wild-type strain, and for both strains, the results were not different than the negative control.

  5. Current research efforts with Bacillus thuringiensis

    Treesearch

    Normand R. Dubois

    1991-01-01

    The bioassay of 260 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and 70 commercial preparations show that regression coefficient estimates may be as critical as LC5O estimates when evaluating them for future consideration.

  6. Measurements of DNA Damage and Repair in Bacillus anthracis Sterne Spores by UV Radiation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-09-18

    MEASUREMENTS OF DNA DAMAGE AND REPAIR IN BACILLUS ANTHRACIS STERNE SPORES BY UV RADIATION...AFIT-ENP-T-14-S-01 MEASUREMENTS OF DNA DAMAGE AND REPAIR IN BACILLUS ANTHRACIS STERNE SPORES BY UV RADIATION THESIS Presented to the... DAMAGE AND REPAIR IN BACILLUS ANTHRACIS STERNE SPORES BY UV RADIATION Chelsea C. Marcum, BS Approved

  7. Genome sequence of the thermophile Bacillus coagulans Hammer, the type strain of the species.

    PubMed

    Su, Fei; Tao, Fei; Tang, Hongzhi; Xu, Ping

    2012-11-01

    Here we announce a 3.0-Mb assembly of the Bacillus coagulans Hammer strain, which is the type strain of the species within the genus Bacillus. Genomic analyses based on the sequence may provide insights into the phylogeny of the species and help to elucidate characteristics of the poorly studied strains of Bacillus coagulans.

  8. Bacillus anthracis

    PubMed Central

    Spencer, R C

    2003-01-01

    The events of 11 September 2001 and the subsequent anthrax outbreaks have shown that the West needs to be prepared for an increasing number of terrorist attacks, which may include the use of biological warfare. Bacillus anthracis has long been considered a potential biological warfare agent, and this review will discuss the history of its use as such. It will also cover the biology of this organism and the clinical features of the three disease forms that it can produce: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and inhalation anthrax. In addition, treatment and vaccination strategies will be reviewed. PMID:12610093

  9. Identification and Classification of bcl Genes and Proteins of Bacillus cereus Group Organisms and Their Application in Bacillus anthracis Detection and Fingerprinting▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Leski, Tomasz A.; Caswell, Clayton C.; Pawlowski, Marcin; Klinke, David J.; Bujnicki, Janusz M.; Hart, Sean J.; Lukomski, Slawomir

    2009-01-01

    The Bacillus cereus group includes three closely related species, B. anthracis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis, which form a highly homogeneous subdivision of the genus Bacillus. One of these species, B. anthracis, has been identified as one of the most probable bacterial biowarfare agents. Here, we evaluate the sequence and length polymorphisms of the Bacillus collagen-like protein bcl genes as a basis for B. anthracis detection and fingerprinting. Five genes, designated bclA to bclE, are present in B. anthracis strains. Examination of bclABCDE sequences identified polymorphisms in bclB alleles of the B. cereus group organisms. These sequence polymorphisms allowed specific detection of B. anthracis strains by PCR using both genomic DNA and purified Bacillus spores in reactions. By exploiting the length variation of the bcl alleles it was demonstrated that the combined bclABCDE PCR products generate markedly different fingerprints for the B. anthracis Ames and Sterne strains. Moreover, we predict that bclABCDE length polymorphism creates unique signatures for B. anthracis strains, which facilitates identification of strains with specificity and confidence. Thus, we present a new diagnostic concept for B. anthracis detection and fingerprinting, which can be used alone or in combination with previously established typing platforms. PMID:19767469

  10. Modeling heat resistance of Bacillus weihenstephanensis and Bacillus licheniformis spores as function of sporulation temperature and pH.

    PubMed

    Baril, Eugénie; Coroller, Louis; Couvert, Olivier; Leguérinel, Ivan; Postollec, Florence; Boulais, Christophe; Carlin, Frédéric; Mafart, Pierre

    2012-05-01

    Although sporulation environmental factors are known to impact on Bacillus spore heat resistance, they are not integrated into predictive models used to calculate the efficiency of heating processes. This work reports the influence of temperature and pH encountered during sporulation on heat resistance of Bacillus weihenstephanensis KBAB4 and Bacillus licheniformis AD978 spores. A decrease in heat resistance (δ) was observed for spores produced either at low temperature, at high temperature or at acidic pH. Sporulation temperature and pH maximizing the spore heat resistance were identified. Heat sensitivity (z) was not modified whatever the sporulation environmental factors were. A resistance secondary model inspired by the Rosso model was proposed. Sporulation temperatures and pHs minimizing or maximizing the spore heat resistance (T(min(R)), T(opt(R)), T(max(R)), pH(min(R)) and pH(opt(R))) were estimated. The goodness of the model fit was assessed for both studied strains and literature data. The estimation of the sporulation temperature and pH maximizing the spore heat resistance is of great interest to produce spores assessing the spore inactivation in the heating processes applied by the food industry. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Genome Sequence of the Thermophile Bacillus coagulans Hammer, the Type Strain of the Species

    PubMed Central

    Su, Fei; Tao, Fei; Tang, Hongzhi

    2012-01-01

    Here we announce a 3.0-Mb assembly of the Bacillus coagulans Hammer strain, which is the type strain of the species within the genus Bacillus. Genomic analyses based on the sequence may provide insights into the phylogeny of the species and help to elucidate characteristics of the poorly studied strains of Bacillus coagulans. PMID:23105047

  12. Bacillus kyonggiensis sp. nov., isolated from soil of a lettuce field.

    PubMed

    Dong, Ke; Lee, Sangseob

    2011-10-01

    A Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming bacterial strain, designated NB22(T), was isolated from soil of a lettuce field in Kyonggi province, South Korea, and was characterized by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. This novel isolate grew optimally at 30-37°C and pH 8-9. It grew in the presence of 0-4% NaCl (optimum, 1-2%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain NB22(T) was closely related to members of the genus Bacillus and fell within a coherent cluster comprising B. siralis 171544(T) (98.1%) and B. korlensis ZLC-26(T) (97.3%). The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to other Bacillus species with validly published names were less than 96.4%. Strain NB22(T) had a genomic DNA G+C content of 36.3 mol% and the predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15:0), anteiso-C(15:0), C(14:0), and C(16:0). These chemotaxonomic results supported the affiliation of strain NB22(T) to the genus Bacillus, and the low DNA-DNA relatedness values and distinguishing phenotypic characteristics allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain NB22(T) from recognized Bacillus species. On the basis of the evidence presented, strain NB22(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus kyonggiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NB22(T) (=KEMB 5401-267(T) =JCM 17569(T)).

  13. Seasonal Outbreak of Bacillus Bacteremia Associated With Contaminated Linen in Hong Kong.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Vincent C C; Chen, Jonathan H K; Leung, Sally S M; So, Simon Y C; Wong, Shuk-Ching; Wong, Sally C Y; Tse, Herman; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

    2017-05-15

    A high seasonal incidence of Bacillus bacteremia was associated with the use of contaminated hospital linens. An outbreak investigation was conducted to study the incidence and source of Bacillus bacteremia during the baseline, outbreak, and postoutbreak period from 1 January 2012 through 31 July 2016 at a university-affiliated teaching hospital in Hong Kong. Replicate organism detection and counting plates were used for microbial screening of linen samples. The Bacillus species isolated from patient and linen samples were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and were phylogenetically analyzed. During the study period, a total of 113 207 blood cultures were collected from 43 271 patients, of which 978 (0.86%) specimens from 744 (1.72%) patients were identified as Bacillus species. The incidence of Bacillus bacteremia per 10 000 patient admissions and per 10 000 patient-days was significantly higher during the summer outbreak as compared with baseline and 1 year postoutbreak after cessation of the linen supply from the designated laundry and change of laundry protocol (39.97 vs 18.21 vs 2.27; 13.36 vs 5.61 vs 0.73; P < .001). The mean total aerobic bacterial count per 100 cm2 was significantly higher among the 99 linen samples screened during the outbreak period compared to the 100 screened in the postoutbreak period (916.0 ± 641.6 vs 0.6 ± 1.6; P < .001). Blood culture isolates of Bacillus cereus group in 14 of 87 (16.1%) patients were phylogenetically associated with 9 linen sample isolates. Suboptimal conditions of hospital laundry contributed to the seasonal outbreak of Bacillus bacteremia. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Impedance Measurements Could Accelerate Phage-Based Identification of Bacillus anthracis and Other Bacteria

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-09-01

    The Bacillus-inoculated NSM agar plates were incubated at 35°C for at least 48 h until Gram stains revealed the presence of > 90% Bacillus spores in...longer visible in Gram stained samples. Finally, centrifugation was used to remove soluble debris from the preparation and spore concentrations were...minutes post treatment. Gram Stains . Gram stains were used to track the emergence of vegetative Bacillus cells from spores. In this assay, bacterial

  15. Sporulation of Bacillus spp. within biofilms: a potential source of contamination in food processing environments.

    PubMed

    Faille, C; Bénézech, T; Midelet-Bourdin, G; Lequette, Y; Clarisse, M; Ronse, G; Ronse, A; Slomianny, C

    2014-06-01

    Bacillus strains are often isolated from biofilms in the food industries. Previous works have demonstrated that sporulation could occur in biofilms, suggesting that biofilms would be a significant source of food contamination with spores. In this study, we investigated the properties of mono-species and mixed Bacillus biofilms and the ability of Bacillus strains to sporulate inside biofilms. Bacillus strains were able to form mono-species biofilms on stainless steel coupons, with up to 90% spores after a 48 h-incubation. These spores were highly resistant to cleaning but were easily transferred to agar, mimicking the cross-contamination of food, thereby suggesting that biofilms would be of particular concern due to a potential for Bacillus spore food contamination. This hypothesis was strengthened by the fact that Bacillus strains were able to form mixed biofilms with resident strains and that sporulation still occurred easily in these complex structures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Response surface modeling for hot, humid air decontamination of materials contaminated with Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam spores

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Response surface methodology using a face-centered cube design was used to describe and predict spore inactivation of Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam spores after exposure of six spore-contaminated materials to hot, humid air. For each strain/material pair, an attempt was made to fit a first or second order model. All three independent predictor variables (temperature, relative humidity, and time) were significant in the models except that time was not significant for B. thuringiensis Al Hakam on nylon. Modeling was unsuccessful for wiring insulation and wet spores because there was complete spore inactivation in the majority of the experimental space. In cases where a predictive equation could be fit, response surface plots with time set to four days were generated. The survival of highly purified Bacillus spores can be predicted for most materials tested when given the settings for temperature, relative humidity, and time. These predictions were cross-checked with spore inactivation measurements. PMID:24949256

  17. Performance of Microbial Concrete Developed Using Bacillus Subtilus JC3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rao, M. V. Seshagiri; Reddy, V. Srinivasa; Sasikala, Ch.

    2017-12-01

    Concrete is vulnerable to deterioration, corrosion, and cracks, and the consequent damage and loss of strength requires immensely expensive remediation and repair. So need for special concrete that they would respond to crack formation with an autonomous self-healing action lead to research and development of microbial concrete. The microbial concrete works on the principle of calcite mineral precipitation by a specific group of alkali-resistant spore-forming bacteria related to the genus Bacillus called Bacillus subtilis JC3, this phenomenon is called biomineralization or Microbiologically Induced Calcite Crystal Precipitation. Bacillus subtilis JC3, a common soil bacterium, has inherent ability to precipitate calcite crystals continuously which enhances the strength and durability performance of concrete enormously. This microbial concrete can be called as a "Self healing Bacterial Concrete" because it can remediate its cracks by itself without any human intervention and would make the concrete more durable and sustainable. This paper discuss the incorporation of microorganism Bacillus subtilis JC3 (developed at JNTU, India) into concrete and presents the results of experimental investigations carried out to study the improved durability and sustainability characteristics of microbial concrete.

  18. In vitro susceptibility of Bacillus spp. to selected antimicrobial agents.

    PubMed Central

    Weber, D J; Saviteer, S M; Rutala, W A; Thomann, C A

    1988-01-01

    Although often dismissed as contaminants when isolated from blood cultures, Bacillus spp. are increasingly recognized as capable of causing serious systemic infections. As part of a clinical-microbiological study, 89 strains of Bacillus spp. isolated from clinical blood cultures between 1981 and 1985 had their species determined and were tested for antimicrobial agent susceptibility to 18 antibiotics. Species of isolates were determined by the API 50CH and API 20E systems. Bacillus cereus (54 strains) was the most common species isolated, followed by B. megaterium (13 strains), B. polymyxa (5 strains), B. pumilus (4 strains), B. subtilis (4 strains), B. circulans (3 strains), B. amyloliquefaciens (2 strains), B. licheniformis (1 strain), and Bacillus spp. (3 strains). Microdilution MIC susceptibility tests revealed all B. cereus strains to be susceptible to imipenem, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin. Non-B. cereus strains were most susceptible to imipenem, vancomycin, LY146032, and ciprofloxacin. Disk susceptibility testing suggested that B. cereus was rarely susceptible to penicillins, semisynthetic penicillins, or cephalosporins with the exception of mezlocillin. In contrast, many non-B. cereus strains were susceptible to penicillins, semisynthetic penicillins, and cephalosporins, but marked variability was noted among species. PMID:3395100

  19. 21 CFR 184.1012 - α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1012 α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus. (a) α-Amylase enzyme preparation is obtained from the culture...

  20. 21 CFR 184.1012 - α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1012 α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus. (a) α-Amylase enzyme preparation is obtained from the culture...

  1. 21 CFR 184.1012 - α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus... Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1012 α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus. (a) α-Amylase enzyme preparation is obtained from the culture filtrate that results from a pure...

  2. 21 CFR 184.1012 - α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1012 α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus. (a) α-Amylase enzyme preparation is obtained from the culture...

  3. 21 CFR 184.1012 - α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1012 α-Amylase enzyme preparation from Bacillus stearothermophilus. (a) α-Amylase enzyme preparation is obtained from the culture...

  4. 40 CFR 180.1128 - Bacillus subtilis MBI 600; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis MBI 600; exemption... FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1128 Bacillus subtilis MBI 600; exemption from the requirement of... biofungicide Bacillus subtilis MBI 600 in or on all food commodities, including residues resulting from post...

  5. 40 CFR 180.1269 - Bacillus mycoides Isolate J: exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus mycoides Isolate J: exemption... FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1269 Bacillus mycoides Isolate J: exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Bacillus mycoides isolate J is temporarily exempt from the requirement of a tolerance...

  6. Induced calcium carbonate precipitation using Bacillus species.

    PubMed

    Seifan, Mostafa; Samani, Ali Khajeh; Berenjian, Aydin

    2016-12-01

    Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation is an emerging process for the production of self-healing concrete. This study was aimed to investigate the effects and optimum conditions on calcium carbonate biosynthesis. Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus sphaericus, yeast extract, urea, calcium chloride and aeration were found to be the most significant factors affecting the biomineralization of calcium carbonate. It was noticed that the morphology of microbial calcium carbonate was mainly affected by the genera of bacteria (cell surface properties), the viscosity of the media and the type of electron acceptors (Ca 2+ ). The maximum calcium carbonate concentration of 33.78 g/L was achieved at the optimum conditions This value is the highest concentration reported in the literature.

  7. Class IV polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases and PHA-producing Bacillus.

    PubMed

    Tsuge, Takeharu; Hyakutake, Manami; Mizuno, Kouhei

    2015-08-01

    This review highlights the recent investigations of class IV polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases, the newest classification of PHA synthases. Class IV synthases are prevalent in organisms of the Bacillus genus and are composed of a catalytic subunit PhaC (approximately 40 kDa), which has a PhaC box sequence ([GS]-X-C-X-[GA]-G) at the active site, and a second subunit PhaR (approximately 20 kDa). The representative PHA-producing Bacillus strains are Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus; the nucleotide sequence of phaC and the genetic organization of the PHA biosynthesis gene locus are somewhat different between these two strains. It is generally considered that class IV synthases favor short-chain-length monomers such as 3-hydroxybutyrate (C4) and 3-hydroxyvalerate (C5) for polymerization, but can polymerize some unusual monomers as minor components. In Escherichia coli expressing PhaRC from B. cereus YB-4, the biosynthesized PHA undergoes synthase-catalyzed alcoholytic cleavage using endogenous and exogenous alcohols. This alcoholysis is thought to be shared among class IV synthases, and this reaction is useful not only for the regulation of PHA molecular weight but also for the modification of the PHA carboxy terminus. The novel properties of class IV synthases will open up the possibility for the design of new PHA materials.

  8. Purification and characterization of two polyhydroxyalcanoates from Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Zribi-Maaloul, Emna; Trabelsi, Imen; Elleuch, Lobna; Chouayekh, Hichem; Ben Salah, Riadh

    2013-10-01

    This work aimed to study the potential of 155 strains of Bacillus sp., isolated from a collection of Tunisian microorganisms, for polyhydroxyalcanoates production. The strains were submitted to a battery of standard tests commonly used for determining bioplastic properties. The findings revealed that two of the isolates, namely Bacillus US 163 and US 177, provided red excitations at a wavelength of approximately 543 nm. The polyhydroxyalcanoates produced by the two strains were purified. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to characterize the two biopolymers. Bacillus US 163 was noted to produce a poly methyl-3-hydroxy tetradecanoic acid (P-3HTD) with an average molecular weight of 455 kDa, a completely amorphous homopolymer without crystallinity. The US 177 strain produced a homopolymer of methyl-3-hydroxy octadecanoic acid (P3-HOD) with an average molecular weight of 555 kDa. Exhibiting the highest performance, US 163 and US 177 were submitted to 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the results revealed that they belonged to the Bacillus cereus species. Overall, the findings indicated that the Bacilli from petroleum soil have a number of promising properties that make them promising candidates for bioplastic production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Preparation of AN Electrode Modified with a Thermostable Enzyme BACILLUS Subtilis COTA by Electrodeposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watanabe, Toshio; Yamada, Yohei; Motonaka, Junko; Yabutani, Tomoki; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Yasuzawa, Mikito

    In this study, electrodeposition of thermostable enzyme Bacillus subtilis CotA, which is a laccase and has a bilirubin oxidase (BOD) activity, was investigated. The electrodeposition was operated in a mixture of Bacillus subtilis CotA in the PBS (pH 8.0) and TritonX-100 under applying potential (1100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl for 5 min.). The current response was measured by linear sweep voltammetry technique (LSV). The thermostable enzyme Bacillus subtilis CotA electrodeposited electrode was compared with a mesophile BOD electrodeposited electrode. As a result, the Bacillus subtilis CotA modified electrode showed better sensitivity and long-term stability than the mesophile BOD modified electrode.

  10. Inactivation of Bacillus Anthracis Spores Using Carbon Nanotubes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-10-30

    S1793984412300129 Marquita Lilly, Liju Yang, Kamal Aferchich. Effect of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes on Bacillus Anthracis Cell Growth, Sporulation ...addition,  SWNTs  treatment  did  not  induce  sporulation  of B. anthracis.  [Aferichich, et al. 2012]. 2)  SWNTs  in  combination with oxidizing agents...8. Kamal Aferchich, Marquita Lilly, Liju Yang*. 2012. Effect of Single‐walled Carbon Nanotubes on  Bacillus Anthracis Cell Growth,  Sporulation , and

  11. Phylogenetic diversity in the genus Bacillus as seen by 16S rRNA sequencing studies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rossler, D.; Ludwig, W.; Schleifer, K. H.; Lin, C.; McGill, T. J.; Wisotzkey, J. D.; Jurtshuk, P. Jr; Fox, G. E.

    1991-01-01

    Comparative sequence analysis of 16S ribosomal (r)RNAs or DNAs of Bacillus alvei, B. laterosporus, B. macerans, B. macquariensis, B. polymyxa and B. stearothermophilus revealed the phylogenetic diversity of the genus Bacillus. Based on the presently available data set of 16S rRNA sequences from bacilli and relatives at least four major "Bacillus clusters" can be defined: a "Bacillus subtilis cluster" including B. stearothermophilus, a "B. brevis cluster" including B. laterosporus, a "B. alvei cluster" including B. macerans, B. maquariensis and B. polymyxa and a "B. cycloheptanicus branch".

  12. Decontamination assessment of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surfaces using a hydrogen peroxide gas generator.

    PubMed

    Rogers, J V; Sabourin, C L K; Choi, Y W; Richter, W R; Rudnicki, D C; Riggs, K B; Taylor, M L; Chang, J

    2005-01-01

    To evaluate the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials using hydrogen peroxide gas. Bacillus anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores were dried on seven types of indoor surfaces and exposed to > or =1000 ppm hydrogen peroxide gas for 20 min. Hydrogen peroxide exposure significantly decreased viable B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores on all test materials except G. stearothermophilus on industrial carpet. Significant differences were observed when comparing the reduction in viable spores of B. anthracis with both surrogates. The effectiveness of gaseous hydrogen peroxide on the growth of biological indicators and spore strips was evaluated in parallel as a qualitative assessment of decontamination. At 1 and 7 days postexposure, decontaminated biological indicators and spore strips exhibited no growth, while the nondecontaminated samples displayed growth. Significant differences in decontamination efficacy of hydrogen peroxide gas on porous and nonporous surfaces were observed when comparing the mean log reduction in B. anthracis spores with B. subtilis and G. stearothermophilus spores. These results provide comparative information for the decontamination of B. anthracis spores with surrogates on indoor surfaces using hydrogen peroxide gas.

  13. Expression and characterization of aiiA gene from Bacillus subtilis BS-1.

    PubMed

    Pan, Jieru; Huang, Tianpei; Yao, Fan; Huang, Zhipeng; Powell, Charles A; Qiu, Sixin; Guan, Xiong

    2008-01-01

    AHL-lactonase (AiiA), a metallo-beta-lactamase produced by Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis, specifically hydrolyzes N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) secreted by Gram-negative bacteria and thereby attenuates the symptoms caused by plant pathogens. In this study, an aiiA gene was cloned from Bacillus subtilis BS-1 by PCR with a pair of degenerate primers. The deduced 250 amino acid sequence contained two small conserved regions, 103SHLHFDH109 and 166TPGHTPGH173, which are characteristic of the metallo-beta-lactamase family. Homology comparison revealed that the deduced amino acid sequence had a high degree of similarity with those of the known AiiA proteins in the B. cereus group. Additionally, the aiiA gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS and the expressed AiiA protein could attenuate the soft rot symptoms caused by Erwinia carotovora var. carotovora.

  14. 40 CFR 180.1111 - Bacillus subtilis GB03; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis GB03; exemption from... FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1111 Bacillus subtilis GB03; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The biofungicide Bacillus subtilis GB03 is exempted from the requirement of a tolerance in or on...

  15. Classification of Bacillus beneficial substances related to plants, humans and animals.

    PubMed

    Mongkolthanaruk, Wiyada

    2012-12-01

    Genus Bacillus is a spore-forming bacterium that has unique properties in cell differentiation, allowing the forming of spores in stress conditions and activated in the vegetative cell, with suitable environments occurring during the life cycle acting as a trigger. Their habitat is mainly in soil; thus, many species of Bacillus are associated with plants as well as rhizosphere bacteria and endophytic bacteria. Signal transduction is the principal mechanism of interactions, both within the cell community and with the external environment, which provides the subsequent functions or properties for the cell. The antimicrobial compounds of Bacillus sp. are potentially useful products, which have been used in agriculture for the inhibition of phytopathogens, for the stimulation of plant growth, and in the food industry as probiotics. There are two systems for the synthesis of these substances: nonribosomal synthesis of cyclic lipopeptides (NRPS) and polyketides (PKS). For each group, the structures, properties, and genes of the main products are described. The different compounds described and the way in which they co-exist exhibit the relationship of Bacillus substances to plants, humans, and animals.

  16. Diversity of Secondary Metabolites from Marine Bacillus Species: Chemistry and Biological Activity

    PubMed Central

    Mondol, Muhammad Abdul Mojid; Shin, Hee Jae; Islam, Mohammad Tofazzal

    2013-01-01

    Marine Bacillus species produce versatile secondary metabolites including lipopeptides, polypeptides, macrolactones, fatty acids, polyketides, and isocoumarins. These structurally diverse compounds exhibit a wide range of biological activities, such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and antialgal activities. Some marine Bacillus strains can detoxify heavy metals through reduction processes and have the ability to produce carotenoids. The present article reviews the chemistry and biological activities of secondary metabolites from marine isolates. Side by side, the potential for application of these novel natural products from marine Bacillus strains as drugs, pesticides, carotenoids, and tools for the bioremediation of heavy metal toxicity are also discussed. PMID:23941823

  17. The Hemolytic Enterotoxin HBL Is Broadly Distributed among Species of the Bacillus cereus Group

    PubMed Central

    Prüß, Birgit M.; Dietrich, Richard; Nibler, Birgit; Märtlbauer, Erwin; Scherer, Siegfried

    1999-01-01

    The prevalence of the hemolytic enterotoxin complex HBL was determined in all species of the Bacillus cereus group with the exception of Bacillus anthracis. hblA, encoding the binding subunit B, was detected by PCR and Southern analysis and was confirmed by partial sequencing of 18 strains. The sequences formed two clusters, one including B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis strains and the other one consisting of Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus pseudomycoides, and Bacillus weihenstephanensis strains. From eight B. thuringiensis strains, the enterotoxin gene hblA could be amplified. Seven of them also expressed the complete HBL complex as determined with specific antibodies against the L1, L2, and B components. Eleven of 16 B. mycoides strains, all 3 B. pseudomyoides strains, 9 of 15 B. weihenstephanensis strains, and 10 of 23 B. cereus strains carried hblA. While HBL was not expressed in the B. pseudomycoides strains, the molecular assays were in accordance with the immunological assays for the majority of the remaining strains. In summary, the hemolytic enterotoxin HBL seems to be broadly distributed among strains of the B. cereus group and relates neither to a certain species nor to a specific environment. The consequences of this finding for food safety considerations need to be evaluated. PMID:10584001

  18. 77 FR 2910 - Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens Strain D747; Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance; Technical...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-20

    ... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 180 [EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0944; FRL-9334-3] Bacillus... requirement of a tolerance for residues of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain D747 (formerly known as Bacillus subtilis variant amyloliquefaciens strain D747). This document is being issued to correct the typographical...

  19. Controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle by Bacillus species.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Natália Berne; de Castro, Leonardo Mortagua; de Almeida Capella, Gabriela; Motta, Tairan Ourique; de Souza Stori de Lara, Ana Paula; de Moura, Micaele Quintana; Berne, Maria Elisabeth Aires; Leite, Fábio Pereira Leivas

    2017-10-15

    In this study, we tested the in vitro and in vivo larvicidal activity of Bacillus species against gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle, and their viability in the presence of anthelmintics. For in vitro tests, cattle feces naturally infected with trichostrongylides were incubated with spore suspensions of Bacillus circulans (Bcir), B. thuringiensis var. osvaldocruzi (Bto), B. thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) or B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk). Subsequently, residual larvae were counted and identified. All of the Bacillus species showed 60% or more larvicidal effects. Bcir and Bti were selected to be incubated with anthelmintics (moxidectin, nitroxynil and levamisole), and after 24, 72, and 144h, their viability was evaluated. Bti showed highest drug resistance, maintaining a concentration of 1×10 7 CFU/mL. Based on this result, Bti was selected for in vivo tests on calves naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. The calves were dived into four groups: Group 1, Bti suspension of ∼1×10 9 CFU orally administered; Group 2, Bti suspension of ∼1×10 9 CFU orally administered with levamisole (subcutaneously, 150mg); Group 3, only levamisole (subcutaneously, 150mg), and Group 4 untreated. Then 24 and 48h after treatment, larvae numbers were counted. We observed a reduction of 84%, 100%, and 100% after 48h of treatment, respectively, for Groups 1, 2 and 3 treatments in comparison with the untreated. The tested Bacillus species showed larvicidal activity against bovine trichostrongylides, and its association with anthelmintics. It may serve as a promising integrated alternative for control of gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Engineering of thermotolerant Bacillus coagulans for production of D(-)-lactic acid

    DOEpatents

    Wang, Qingzhao; Shanmugam, Keelnatham T; Ingram, Lonnie O

    2014-12-02

    Genetically modified microorganisms having the ability to produce D(-)-lactic acid at temperatures between 30.degree. C. and 55.degree. C. are provided. In various embodiments, the microorganisms may have the chromosomal lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) gene and/or the chromosomal acetolactate synthase (alsS) gene inactivated. Exemplary microorganisms for use in the disclosed methods are Bacillus spp., such as Bacillus coagulans.

  1. Characterization of Bacillus phage-K2 isolated from chungkookjang, a fermented soybean foodstuff.

    PubMed

    Kim, Eun Ju; Hong, Jeong Won; Yun, Na-Rae; Lee, Young Nam

    2011-01-01

    An investigation of a virulent Bacillus phage-K2 (named Bp-K2) isolated from chungkookjang (a fermented soybean foodstuff) was made. Bp-K2 differed in infectivity against a number of Bacillus subtilis strains including starter strains of chungkookjang and natto, being more infectious to Bacillus strains isolated from the chungkookjang, but much less active against a natto strain. Bp-K2 is a small DNA phage whose genome size is about 21 kb. Bp-K2 is a tailed bacteriophage with an isometric icosahedral head (50 nm long on the lateral side, 80 nm wide), a long contractile sheath (85-90 nm × 28 nm), a thin tail fiber (80-85 nm long, 10 nm wide), and a basal plate (29 nm long, 47 nm wide) with a number of spikes, but no collar. The details of the structures of Bp-K2 differ from natto phage ϕBN100 as well as other known Bacillus phages such as SPO1-like or ϕ 29-like viruses. These data suggest that Bp-K2 would be a new member of the Myoviridae family of Bacillus bacteriophages.

  2. Germination of Spores of Astrobiologically Relevant Bacillus Species in High-Salinity Environments.

    PubMed

    Nagler, Katja; Julius, Christina; Moeller, Ralf

    2016-07-01

    In times of increasing space exploration and search for extraterrestrial life, new questions and challenges for planetary protection, aiming to avoid forward contamination of different planets or moons with terrestrial life, are emerging. Spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus species have a high contamination potential due to their spores' extreme resistance, enabling them to withstand space conditions. Spores require liquid water for their conversion into a growing cell (i.e., spore germination and subsequent growth). If present, water on extraterrestrial planets or moons is likely to be closely associated with salts (e.g., in salty oceans or brines), thus constituting high-salinity environments. Spores of Bacillus subtilis can germinate despite very high salt concentrations, although salt stress does exert negative effects on this process. In this study, germination and metabolic reactivation ("outgrowth") of spores of five astrobiologically relevant Bacillus species (B. megaterium, B. pumilus SAFR-032, B. nealsonii, B. mojavensis, and B. vallismortis) in high salinity (≤3.6 M NaCl) were investigated. Spores of different species exhibited different germination and outgrowth capabilities in high salinity, which strongly depended on germination conditions, especially the exact composition of the medium. In this context, a new "universal" germination trigger for Bacillus spores, named KAGE (KCl, L-alanine, D-glucose, ectoine), was identified, which will be very useful for future comparative germination and outgrowth studies on different Bacillus species. Overall, this study yielded interesting new insights on salt stress effects on spore germination and points out the difficulty of predicting the potential of spores to contaminate salty environments on extraterrestrial celestial bodies. Bacillus species-Spores-Germination-High salinity-Salt stress-NaCl-Inhibition. Astrobiology 16, 500-512.

  3. Systematic characterization of Bacillus Genetic Stock Center Bacillus thuringiensis strains using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kui; Shu, Changlong; Soberón, Mario; Bravo, Alejandra; Zhang, Jie

    2018-04-30

    The goal of this work was to perform a systematic characterization of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains from the Bacillus Genetic Stock Center (BGSC) collection using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST). Different genetic markers of 158 Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains from 73 different serovars stored in the BGSC, that represented 92% of the different Bt serovars of the BGSC were analyzed, the 8% that were not analyzed were not available. In addition, we analyzed 72 Bt strains from 18 serovars available at the pubMLST bcereus database, and Bt strains G03, HBF18 and Bt185, with no H serovars provided by our laboratory. We performed a systematic MLST analysis using seven housekeeping genes (glpF, gmK, ilvD, pta, pur, pycA and tpi) and analyzed correlation of the results of this analysis with strain serovars. The 233 Bt strains analyzed were assigned to 119 STs from which 19 STs were new. Genetic relationships were established by phylogenetic analysis and showed that STs could be grouped in two major Clusters containing 21 sub-groups. We found that a significant number of STs (101 in total) correlated with specific serovars, such as ST13 that corresponded to nine Bt isolates from B. thuringiensis serovar kenyae. However, other serovars showed high genetic variability and correlated with multiple STs; for example, B. thuringiensis serovar morrisoni correlated with 11 different STs. In addition, we found that 16 different STs correlated with multiple serovars (2-4 different serovars); for example, ST12 correlated with B. thuringiensis serovar alesti, dakota, palmanyolensis and sotto/dendrolimus. These data indicated that only partial correspondence between MLST and serotyping can be established. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Contribution of Bacillus Isolates to the Flavor Profiles of Vanilla Beans Assessed through Aroma Analysis and Chemometrics.

    PubMed

    Gu, Fenglin; Chen, Yonggan; Fang, Yiming; Wu, Guiping; Tan, Lehe

    2015-10-09

    Colonizing Bacillus in vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) beans is involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis and vanillin formation during conventional curing. The flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing were analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, electronic nose, and quantitative sensory analysis. The flavor profiles were analytically compared among the vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, conventional curing, and non-microorganism-assisted curing. Vanilla beans added with Bacillus vanillea XY18 and Bacillus subtilis XY20 contained higher vanillin (3.58%±0.05% and 3.48%±0.10%, respectively) than vanilla beans that underwent non-microorganism-assisted curing and conventional curing (3.09%±0.14% and 3.21%±0.15%, respectively). Forty-two volatiles were identified from endogenous vanilla metabolism. Five other compounds were identified from exogenous Bacillus metabolism. Electronic nose data confirmed that vanilla flavors produced through the different curing processes were easily distinguished. Quantitative sensory analysis confirmed that Bacillus-assisted curing increased vanillin production without generating any unpleasant sensory attribute. Partial least squares regression further provided a correlation model of different measurements. Overall, we comparatively analyzed the flavor profiles of vanilla beans under Bacillus-assisted curing, indirectly demonstrated the mechanism of vanilla flavor formation by microbes.

  5. Diversity of Bacillus-like bacterial community in the sediments of the Bamenwan mangrove wetland in Hainan, China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Min; Cui, Ying; Chen, Yuqing; Lin, Xiangzhi; Huang, Huiqin; Bao, Shixiang

    2017-03-01

    Members of the genus Bacillus and related spore-forming genera are ubiquitous. However, Bacillus-like species isolated from marine sediments have attracted less interest than their terrestrial relatives. Here, we investigated the diversity of Bacillus-like bacterial communities in the sediments of the Bamenwan mangrove wetland in Hainan, China, using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, and present the first report on this subject. We also discovered some potential novel species from the sediment samples. Four families, Bacillaceae (58%), Paenibacillaceae (22%), Alicyclobacillaceae (15%), and Planococcaceae (5%), and 9 genera, Bacillus (42%), Paenibacillus (16%), Halobacillus (13%), Alicyclobacillus (11%), Rummeliibacillus (5%), Cohnella (5%), Tumebacillus (4%), Pontibacillus (3%), and Aneurinibacillus (2%), were identified by pyrosequencing. In contrast, only 4 genera, Bacillus (57%), Paenibacillus (23%), Halobacillus (14%), and Virgibacillus (6%), were detected by the culture-dependent method. In the 16S rDNA sequencing analysis, the isolates HB12036 and HB12037 were closest to Bacillus okuhidensis Kh10-101 T and Paenibacillus xylanilyticus XIL14 T with similarities of 94.8% and 95.9%, respectively, indicating that these were novel species. Bacillus sp. HB12035 and HB12040 exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and Bacillus sp. HB12033 exhibited antimicrobial activity against Ustilago scitaminea Syd.

  6. Effect of corona electric field on the production of gamma-poly glutamic acid based on bacillus natto

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qi, Hong; Na, Ri; Xin, Jiletu; Jie Xie, Ya; Guo, Jiu Feng

    2013-03-01

    Bacillus Natto is an important strain for gamma-poly glutamic acid (γ-PGA) production. The mutagenesis of Bacillus Natto 20646 under corona electric field and the screening of high γ-PGA producing mutant were investigated. A new mutant bacillus natto Ndlz01 was isolated from Bacillus Natto 20646 after mutation in corona electric field at 9kV for 2min. The Ndlz01 exhibited genetic stability of high γ-PGA producing ability even after five generation cultures. When the bacterium was mutated in streamer discharge state at 9kV for 2min, its death rate was more than 90%. Compared with the yield of γ-PGA based on the original Bacillus Natto 20646, the γ-PGA yield of mutant bacillus natto Ndlz01 increased from 2.6 to 5.94 g/L, with an increase rate of 129.78%.

  7. Hyperexpression of the gene for a Bacillus alpha-amylase in Bacillus subtilis cells: enzymatic properties and crystallization of the recombinant enzyme.

    PubMed

    Ikawa, K; Araki, H; Tsujino, Y; Hayashi, Y; Igarashi, K; Hatada, Y; Hagihara, H; Ozawa, T; Ozaki, K; Kobayashi, T; Ito, S

    1998-09-01

    We have constructed a new excretion vector, pHSP64, to develop a hyperexcretion system for Bacillus subtilis [Sumitomo et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 59, 2172-2175 (1995)]. The structural gene for a novel liquefying semi-alkaline alpha-amylase from the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. KSM-1378 was amplified by PCR. It was cloned into a SalI-SmaI site of pHSP64 and the recombinant plasmid obtained was introduced into B. subtilis. The transformed B. subtilis hyperproduced the alpha-amylase activity extracellularly, corresponding to approximately 1.0 g (5 x 10(6) units) per liter of an optimized liquid culture. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity by a simple purification procedure with very high yield. No significant differences in physiochemical and catalytic properties were observed between the recombinant enzyme and the native enzyme produced by Bacillus sp. KSM-1378. The enzymatic properties of the recombinant enzyme were further examined with respect to the responses to various metal ions. The recombinant enzyme could easily be crystallized at room temperature within one day in a buffered solution of 10% (w/v) ammonium sulfate (pH 6.5).

  8. 40 CFR 180.1209 - Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1209 Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713; exemption from the... the microbial pesticide Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 when used in or on all food commodities. [65...

  9. Engineering of baker's yeasts, E. coli and Bacillus hosts for the production of Bacillus subtilis Lipase A.

    PubMed

    Sánchez, Marta; Prim, Núria; Rández-Gil, Francisca; Pastor, F I Javier; Diaz, Pilar

    2002-05-05

    Lipases are versatile biocatalists showing multiple applications in a wide range of biotechnological processes. The gene lipA coding for Lipase A from Bacillus subtilis was isolated by PCR amplification, cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis strains, using pBR322, YEplac112 and pUB110-derived vectors, respectively. Lipase activity analysis of the recombinant strains showed that the gene can be properly expressed in all hosts assayed, this being the first time a lipase from bacterial origin can be expressed in baker's S. cerevisiae strains. An important increase of lipase production was obtained in heterologous hosts with respect to that of parental strains, indicating that the described systems can represent a useful tool to enhance productivity of the enzyme for biotechnological applications, including the use of the lipase in bread making, or as a technological additive. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Proteomics study of extracellular fibrinolytic proteases from Bacillus licheniformis RO3 and Bacillus pumilus 2.g isolated from Indonesian fermented food

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nur Afifah, Diana; Rustanti, Ninik; Anjani, Gemala; Syah, Dahrul; Yanti; Suhartono, Maggy T.

    2017-02-01

    This paper presents the proteomics study which includes separation, identification and characterization of proteins. The experiment on Indonesian fermented food such as extracellular fibrinolytic protease from Bacillus licheniformis RO3 and Bacillus pumilus 2.g isolated from red oncom and tempeh gembus was conducted. The experimental works comprise the following steps: (1) a combination of one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis, (2) mass spectrometry analysis using MALDI-TOF-MS and (3) investigation using protein database. The result suggested that there were new two protein fractions of B. licheniformis RO3 and three protein fractions of B. pumilus 2.g. These result has not been previously reported.

  11. Growth characteristics of Bacillus anthracis compared to other Bacillus spp. on the selective nutrient media Anthrax Blood Agar and Cereus Ident Agar.

    PubMed

    Tomaso, Herbert; Bartling, Carsten; Al Dahouk, Sascha; Hagen, Ralf M; Scholz, Holger C; Beyer, Wolfgang; Neubauer, Heinrich

    2006-01-01

    Anthrax Blood Agar (ABA) and Cereus Ident Agar (CEI) were evaluated as selective growth media for the isolation of Bacillus anthracis using 92 B. anthracis and 132 other Bacillus strains from 30 species. The positive predictive values for the identification of B. anthracis on ABA, CEI, and the combination of both were 72%, 71%, and 90%, respectively. Thus, less than 10% of all species were misidentified using both nutrient media. Species which might be misidentified as B. anthracis were B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis. Particularly, 30% of B. weihenstephanensis strains were misidentified as B. anthracis.

  12. The comER Gene Plays an Important Role in Biofilm Formation and Sporulation in both Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Yan, Fang; Yu, Yiyang; Wang, Luyao; Luo, Yuming; Guo, Jian-Hua; Chai, Yunrong

    2016-01-01

    Bacteria adopt alternative cell fates during development. In Bacillus subtilis, the transition from planktonic growth to biofilm formation and sporulation is controlled by a complex regulatory circuit, in which the most important event is activation of Spo0A, a transcription factor and a master regulator for genes involved in both biofilm formation and sporulation. In B. cereus, the regulatory pathway controlling biofilm formation and cell differentiation is much less clear. In this study, we show that a novel gene, comER, plays a significant role in biofilm formation as well as sporulation in both B. subtilis and B. cereus. Mutations in the comER gene result in defects in biofilm formation and a delay in spore formation in the two Bacillus species. Our evidence supports the idea that comER may be part of the regulatory circuit that controls Spo0A activation. comER likely acts upstream of sda, a gene encoding a small checkpoint protein for both sporulation and biofilm formation, by blocking the phosphor-relay and thereby Spo0A activation. In summary, our studies outlined a conserved, positive role for comER, a gene whose function was previously uncharacterized, in the regulation of biofilm formation and sporulation in the two Bacillus species.

  13. The comER Gene Plays an Important Role in Biofilm Formation and Sporulation in both Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Fang; Yu, Yiyang; Wang, Luyao; Luo, Yuming; Guo, Jian-hua; Chai, Yunrong

    2016-01-01

    Bacteria adopt alternative cell fates during development. In Bacillus subtilis, the transition from planktonic growth to biofilm formation and sporulation is controlled by a complex regulatory circuit, in which the most important event is activation of Spo0A, a transcription factor and a master regulator for genes involved in both biofilm formation and sporulation. In B. cereus, the regulatory pathway controlling biofilm formation and cell differentiation is much less clear. In this study, we show that a novel gene, comER, plays a significant role in biofilm formation as well as sporulation in both B. subtilis and B. cereus. Mutations in the comER gene result in defects in biofilm formation and a delay in spore formation in the two Bacillus species. Our evidence supports the idea that comER may be part of the regulatory circuit that controls Spo0A activation. comER likely acts upstream of sda, a gene encoding a small checkpoint protein for both sporulation and biofilm formation, by blocking the phosphor-relay and thereby Spo0A activation. In summary, our studies outlined a conserved, positive role for comER, a gene whose function was previously uncharacterized, in the regulation of biofilm formation and sporulation in the two Bacillus species. PMID:27446060

  14. Screening of Peptide Libraries Against Protective Antigen of Bacillus Anthracis in a Disposable Microfluidic Cartridge

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-11-28

    New Reprint Screening of Peptide Libraries against Protective Antigen of Bacillus anthracis in a Disposable Microfluidic Cartridge W911NF-09-D-0001...against Protective Antigen of Bacillus anthracis in a Disposable Microfluidic Cartridge Report Title ABSTRACT See attached. Screening of Peptide...Libraries against Protective Antigen of Bacillus anthracis in a Disposable Microfluidic Cartridge Joshua M. Kogot1, Yanting Zhang2, Stephen J. Moore3

  15. Phylogenomic analysis shows that ‘Bacillus vanillea’ is a later heterotypic synonym of Bacillus siamensis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus vanillea’ XY18T (=CGMCC 8629 T =NCCB 100507 T) was isolated from cured vanilla beans and involved in the formation of vanilla aroma compounds. A draft genome of this type strain was assembled and yielded a length of 3.72 Mbp and a GC content of 46.3%. Comparative genomic analysis with its ...

  16. Bacillus "next generation" diagnostics: moving from detection toward subtyping and risk-related strain profiling.

    PubMed

    Ehling-Schulz, Monika; Messelhäusser, Ute

    2013-01-01

    The highly heterogeneous genus Bacillus comprises the largest species group of endospore forming bacteria. Because of their ubiquitous nature, Bacillus spores can enter food production at several stages resulting in significant economic losses and posing a potential risk to consumers due the capacity of certain Bacillus strains for toxin production. In the past, food microbiological diagnostics was focused on the determination of species using conventional culture-based methods, which are still widely used. However, due to the extreme intra-species diversity found in the genus Bacillus, DNA-based identification and typing methods are gaining increasing importance in routine diagnostics. Several studies showed that certain characteristics are rather strain-dependent than species-specific. Therefore, the challenge for current and future Bacillus diagnostics is not only the efficient and accurate identification on species level but also the development of rapid methods to identify strains with specific characteristics (such as stress resistance or spoilage potential), trace contamination sources, and last but not least discriminate potential hazardous strains from non-toxic strains.

  17. Bacillus thermotolerans sp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium capable of reducing humus.

    PubMed

    Yang, Guiqin; Zhou, Xuemei; Zhou, Shungui; Yang, Dehui; Wang, Yueqiang; Wang, Dingmei

    2013-10-01

    A novel thermotolerant bacterium, designated SgZ-8(T), was isolated from a compost sample. Cells were non-motile, endospore-forming, Gram-staining positive, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. The isolate was able to grow at 20-65 °C (optimum 50 °C) and pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 6.5-7.0), and tolerate up to 9.0 % NaCl (w/v) under aerobic conditions. Anaerobic growth occurred with anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate (AQDS), fumarate and NO3(-) as electron acceptors. Phylogenetic analysis based on the16S rRNA and gyrB genes grouped strain SgZ-8(T) into the genus Bacillus, with the highest similarity to Bacillus badius JCM 12228(T) (96.2 % for 16S rRNA gene sequence and 83.5 % for gyrB gene sequence) among all recognized species in the genus Bacillus. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.3 mol%. The major isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7) and the polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unidentified phospholipid. The major cellular fatty acid was iso-C16 : 0. On the basis of its phenotypic and phylogenetic properties, chemotaxonomic analysis and the results of physiological and biochemical tests, strain SgZ-8(T) ( = CCTCC AB 2012108(T) = KACC 16706(T)) was designated the type strain of a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus thermotolerans sp. nov. is proposed.

  18. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus endophyticus TSH42 and Bacillus cereus TSH77 colonizing Curcuma longa L.: isolation, characterization, and evaluation of their biocontrol and plant-growth-promoting activities.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Ankit Kumar; Maheshwari, Dinesh Kumar; Kim, Kangmin; Bajpai, Vivek K

    2016-10-01

    Bacillus strains were isolated from termitarium soil and screened for their antifungal activity through the production of diffusible and volatile metabolites. Further, the bacterial strains that showed antifungal activity were evaluated for their biocontrol potential on the basis of their plant-growth-promoting attributes. Termitarium-inhabiting Bacillus strains TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the growth of pathogenic fungus Fusarium solani, controlled the symptoms of rhizome rot in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and demonstrated various plant-growth-promoting traits in different in vitro assays. On the basis of morphological, physiological, biochemical, and 16S rDNA characteristics, isolates TSH42 and TSH77 were identified as Bacillus endophyticus (KT379993) and Bacillus cereus (KT379994), respectively. Through liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry analysis, acidified cell-free culture filtrate (CFCF) of B. cereus TSH77 was shown to contain surfactin and fengycin, while CFCF of B. endophyticus TSH42 contained iturin in addition to surfactin and fengycin. Treatment of the turmeric (C. longa L.) plants with TSH42 and TSH77 significantly reduced the percentage incidence of rhizome rot disease caused by F. solani. The same treatment also increased the fresh rhizome biomass and plant growth in greenhouse conditions.

  19. Lead (Pb) bioaccumulation; genera Bacillus isolate S1 and SS19 as a case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arifiyanto, Achmad; Apriyanti, Fitria Dwi; Purwaningsih, Puput; Kalqutny, Septian Hary; Agustina, Dyah; Surtiningsih, Tini; Shovitri, Maya; Zulaika, Enny

    2017-06-01

    Lead (Pb) includes a group of large heavy metal in nature was toxic either on animal or human and did not provide an advantage function biologically. Bacillus isolates S1 and SS19 known resistant to lead up to 50 mg / L PbCl2. In this research will be examined whether genera Bacillus isolates S1 and SS19 could accumulate metal lead (Pb), their capability in accumulating and profile protein differences when the bacteria genera Bacillus isolates S1 and SS19 get exposed metal lead (Pb). Inoculum at age ± 9 hours are used, with a Nutrient Broth (NB) containing 50, 75 and 100 mg / L PbCl2. Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP) used to assessed Pb2+ concentrations. Bioaccumulation levels of Pb2+ by Bacillus isolate S1 and SS19 related to the distinction of beginning concentration to the final concentration. Bacillus isolate S1 achieved 53% and 51% bioaccumulation efficiency rate in lead presence concentration (75 and 100 mg/L) and 51% (50 mg/L). Another way Bacillus isolate SS19 was able to accumulate 57% (50 mg/L PbCl2) and kept stable on 36% bioaccumulation efficiency rate (75 and 100 mg/L PbCl2). Regarding SDS-PAGE electrophoresis protein profile result, protein in ± 127 kDa, molecule mass detected in the presence of Lead for Bacillus isolate S1.

  20. Safety assessment of the use of Bacillus-based cleaning products.

    PubMed

    Berg, Ninna W; Evans, Matthew R; Sedivy, John; Testman, Robert; Acedo, Kimon; Paone, Domenic; Long, David; Osimitz, Thomas G

    2018-06-01

    Non-pathogenic Bacillus species used in cleaning products produce the appropriate enzymes to degrade stains and soils. However, there is little scientific data regarding the human exposure by inhalation of Bacillus spores during or after use of microbial-based cleaning products. Herein, air samples were collected at various locations in a ventilated, carpeted, residential room to determine the air concentration of viable bacteria and spores during and after the application of microbial-based carpet cleaning products containing Bacillus spores. The influence of human activities and vacuuming was investigated. Bioaerosol levels associated with use and post-application activities of whole room carpet treatments were elevated during post-application activity, but quickly returned to the indoor background range. Use of trigger spray spot applications generated aerosolized spores in the immediate vicinity, however, their use pattern and the generation of mostly non-respirable particles suggest minimal risks for pulmonary exposure from their use. The aerosol counts associated with use of these microbial-based cleaners were below the recommendation for safe exposure levels to non-pathogenic and non-toxigenic microorganisms except during application of the spot cleaner. The data presented suggest that carpet cleaning products, containing non-pathogenic Bacillus spores present a low potential for inhalation exposure and consequently minimal risk of adverse effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Production of the antimicrobial peptides Caseicin A and B by Bacillus isolates growing on sodium caseinate.

    PubMed

    Kent, R M; Guinane, C M; O'Connor, P M; Fitzgerald, G F; Hill, C; Stanton, C; Ross, R P

    2012-08-01

    The aim of this study was to identify Bacillus isolates capable of degrading sodium caseinate and subsequently to generate bioactive peptides with antimicrobial activity. Sodium caseinate (2.5% w/v) was inoculated separately with 16 Bacillus isolates and allowed to ferment overnight. Protein breakdown in the fermentates was analysed using gel permeation-HPLC (GP-HPLC) and screened for peptides (<3-kDa) with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Caseicin A (IKHQGLPQE) and caseicin B (VLNENLLR), two previously characterized antimicrobial peptides, were identified in the fermentates of both Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis isolates. The caseicin peptides were subsequently purified by RP-HPLC and antimicrobial assays indicated that the peptides maintained the previously identified inhibitory activity against the infant formula pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii. We report a new method using Bacillus sp. to generate two previously characterized antimicrobial peptides from casein. This study highlights the potential to exploit Bacillus sp. or the enzymes they produce for the generation of bioactive antimicrobial peptides from bovine casein. © 2012 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  2. Effect of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis supplementation in diets with low- and high-protein content on ileal crude protein and amino acid digestibility and intestinal microbiota composition of growing pigs.

    PubMed

    Kaewtapee, Chanwit; Burbach, Katharina; Tomforde, Georgina; Hartinger, Thomas; Camarinha-Silva, Amélia; Heinritz, Sonja; Seifert, Jana; Wiltafsky, Markus; Mosenthin, Rainer; Rosenfelder-Kuon, Pia

    2017-01-01

    Bacillus spp. seem to be an alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters for improving animals' health and performance. However, there is little information on the effect of Bacillus spp. in combination with different dietary crude protein (CP) levels on the ileal digestibility and microbiota composition. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of Bacillus spp. supplementation to low- (LP) and high-protein diets (HP) on ileal CP and amino acid (AA) digestibility and intestinal microbiota composition. Eight ileally cannulated pigs with an initial body weight of 28.5 kg were randomly allocated to a row-column design with 8 pigs and 3 periods of 16 d each. The assay diets were based on wheat-barley-soybean meal with two protein levels: LP (14% CP, as-fed) and HP diet (18% CP, as-fed). The LP and HP diets were supplemented with or without Bacillus spp. at a level of 0.04% (as-fed). The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of CP and AA was determined. Bacterial community composition from ileal digesta was analyzed by Illumina amplicon sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial design using the GLIMMIX procedures of SAS. The supplementation with Bacillus spp. did not affect both AID and SID of CP and AA in growing pigs. Moreover, there was no difference in AID of CP and AA between HP and LP diets, but SID of cystine, glutamic acid, glycine, and proline was lower ( P  < 0.05) in pigs fed the HP diets. The HP diets increased abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp., ( P  < 0.05) and by amplicon sequencing the latter was identified as predominant genus in microbiota from HP with Bacillus spp., whereas dietary supplementation of Bacillus spp. increased ( P  < 0.05) abundance of Roseburia spp.. The HP diet increased abundance of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp.. The supplementation of Bacillus spp. resulted in a higher

  3. Bacillus cereus causing fulminant sepsis and hemolysis in two patients with acute leukemia.

    PubMed

    Arnaout, M K; Tamburro, R F; Bodner, S M; Sandlund, J T; Rivera, G K; Pui, C H; Ribeiro, R C

    1999-01-01

    Hemolysis is so rarely associated with Bacillus cereus sepsis that only two very well documented cases have been reported. This article reports two unusual cases of Bacillus cereus sepsis with massive intravascular hemolysis in patients who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). A 20-year-old woman who was 9 weeks pregnant experienced a relapse of ALL. A therapeutic abortion was performed. During week 4 of reinduction the patient had abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, with severe neutropenia but no fever. Her condition deteriorated rapidly with cardiovascular collapse, acute massive intravascular hemolysis, and death within hours of the onset of symptoms. Blood cultures were positive for Bacillus cereus. Postmortem histologic examination and cultures revealed Bacillus cereus and Candida albicans in multiple organs. The second patient, a 10-year-old girl, presented with relapsed T-cell ALL. In the second week of reinduction, she had abdominal pain followed by hypotension. Again, no fever was noted. Laboratory studies showed intravascular hemolysis 12 hours after admission. Aggressive support was promptly initiated. Despite disseminated intravascular coagulation; cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal failure; and multiple intracerebral hypodense lesions believed to be infarcts, the patient recovered fully and resumed reinduction therapy. Bacillus cereus infection can have a fulminant clinical course that may be complicated by massive intravascular hemolysis. This pathogen should be suspected in immunosuppressed patients who experience gastrointestinal symptoms and should not be precluded by the absence of fever, especially if steroids such as dexamethasone are being given. Exchange transfusion may be lifesaving in Bacillus cereus septicemia associated with massive hemolysis.

  4. Genetic and Physiological Studies of Bacillus anthracis Related to Development of an Improved Vaccine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-07-01

    nontransformable Bacillus species such as B. anthracis. Our results suggest that plasmid pLS20 of Bacillus subtilis ( natto ), which promotes transfer of the...mobilizing pBC16, pLS20 mediates transfer of the B. subtills ( natto ) plasmid pLS19 and the Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pUB110. To facilitate direct...and (v) transformation of B. cereus and B. anthracis with plasmid DNA. The 55-kb plasmid, pLS20, of Bacillus subtilis ( natto ) 3335 promotes tr msfer

  5. 40 CFR 180.1243 - Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24; exemption from the requirement of a...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus subtilis var... EXEMPTIONS FOR PESTICIDE CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1243 Bacillus subtilis... the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the Bacillus subtilis var. amyloliquefaciens strain...

  6. Manganese(II)-oxidizing Bacillus spores in Guaymas Basin hydrothermal sediments and plumes.

    PubMed

    Dick, Gregory J; Lee, Yifan E; Tebo, Bradley M

    2006-05-01

    Microbial oxidation and precipitation of manganese at deep-sea hydrothermal vents are important oceanic biogeochemical processes, yet nothing is known about the types of microorganisms or mechanisms involved. Here we report isolation of a number of diverse spore-forming Mn(II)-oxidizing Bacillus species from Guaymas Basin, a deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment in the Gulf of California, where rapid microbially mediated Mn(II) oxidation was previously observed. mnxG multicopper oxidase genes involved in Mn(II) oxidation were amplified from all Mn(II)-oxidizing Bacillus spores isolated, suggesting that a copper-mediated mechanism of Mn(II) oxidation could be important at deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and mnxG genes revealed that while many of the deep-sea Mn(II)-oxidizing Bacillus species are very closely related to previously recognized isolates from coastal sediments, other organisms represent novel strains and clusters. The growth and Mn(II) oxidation properties of these Bacillus species suggest that in hydrothermal sediments they are likely present as spores that are active in oxidizing Mn(II) as it emerges from the seafloor.

  7. 14C Analysis of Protein Extracts from Bacillus Spores

    PubMed Central

    Cappucio, Jenny A.; Sarachine Falso, Miranda J.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Buchholz, Bruce A.

    2014-01-01

    Investigators of bioagent incidents or interdicted materials need validated, independent analytical methods that will allow them to distinguish between recently made bioagent samples versus material drawn from the archives of a historical program. Heterotrophic bacteria convert the carbon in their food sources, growth substrate or culture media, into the biomolecules they need. The F14C (fraction modern radiocarbon) of a variety of media, Bacillus spores, and separated proteins from Bacillus spores was measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). AMS precisely measures F14C values of biological materials and has been used to date the synthesis of biomaterials over the bomb pulse era (1955 to present). The F14C of Bacillus spores reflects the radiocarbon content of the media in which they were grown. In a survey of commercial media we found that the F14C value indicated that carbon sources for the media were alive within about a year of the date of manufacture and generally of terrestrial origin. Hence, bacteria and their products can be dated using their 14C signature. Bacillus spore samples were generated onsite with defined media and carbon free purification and also obtained from archived material. Using mechanical lysis and a variety of washes with carbon free acids and bases, contaminant carbon was removed from soluble proteins to enable accurate 14C bomb-pulse dating. Since media is contemporary, 14C bomb-pulse dating of isolated soluble proteins can be used to distinguish between historical archives of bioagents and those produced from recent media. PMID:24814329

  8. 14C Analysis of protein extracts from Bacillus spores.

    PubMed

    Cappuccio, Jenny A; Falso, Miranda J Sarachine; Kashgarian, Michaele; Buchholz, Bruce A

    2014-07-01

    Investigators of bioagent incidents or interdicted materials need validated, independent analytical methods that will allow them to distinguish between recently made bioagent samples versus material drawn from the archives of a historical program. Heterotrophic bacteria convert the carbon in their food sources, growth substrate or culture media, into the biomolecules they need. The F(14)C (fraction modern radiocarbon) of a variety of media, Bacillus spores, and separated proteins from Bacillus spores was measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). AMS precisely measures F(14)C values of biological materials and has been used to date the synthesis of biomaterials over the bomb pulse era (1955 to present). The F(14)C of Bacillus spores reflects the radiocarbon content of the media in which they were grown. In a survey of commercial media we found that the F(14)C value indicated that carbon sources for the media were alive within about a year of the date of manufacture and generally of terrestrial origin. Hence, bacteria and their products can be dated using their (14)C signature. Bacillus spore samples were generated onsite with defined media and carbon free purification and also obtained from archived material. Using mechanical lysis and a variety of washes with carbon free acids and bases, contaminant carbon was removed from soluble proteins to enable accurate (14)C bomb-pulse dating. Since media is contemporary, (14)C bomb-pulse dating of isolated soluble proteins can be used to distinguish between historical archives of bioagents and those produced from recent media. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Resistance of Bacillus Endospores to Extreme Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Environments

    PubMed Central

    Nicholson, Wayne L.; Munakata, Nobuo; Horneck, Gerda; Melosh, Henry J.; Setlow, Peter

    2000-01-01

    Endospores of Bacillus spp., especially Bacillus subtilis, have served as experimental models for exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the incredible longevity of spores and their resistance to environmental insults. In this review we summarize the molecular laboratory model of spore resistance mechanisms and attempt to use the model as a basis for exploration of the resistance of spores to environmental extremes both on Earth and during postulated interplanetary transfer through space as a result of natural impact processes. PMID:10974126

  10. Genetic analysis of Bacillus stearothermophilus by protoplast fusion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Z.; Wojcik, S.F.; Welker, N.E.

    1986-03-01

    Efficient and reliable protoplasting, regeneration, and fusion techniques were established for the prototrophic strain Bacillus stearothermophilus NUB36. Auxotrophic mutants were isolated, and protoplast fusion was used to construct isogenic mutant strains and for chromosomal mapping. Markers were mapped using two-, three-, and four-factor crosses. The order of the markers was hom-1-thr-1-his-1-(gly-1 or gly-2)-pur-1-pur-2. These markers may be analogous to hom, thrA, hisA, glyC, and purA markers on the Bacillus subtilis chromosome. No analogous pur-1 marker has been reported in B. subtilis. The relative order of three of the markers (hom-1-thr-1-gly-1) was independently confirmed by transduction.

  11. Decontamination of materials contaminated with Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam spores using PES-Solid, a solid source of peracetic acid.

    PubMed

    Buhr, T L; Wells, C M; Young, A A; Minter, Z A; Johnson, C A; Payne, A N; McPherson, D C

    2013-08-01

    To develop test methods and evaluate survival of Bacillus anthracis Ames, B. anthracis ∆Sterne and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam spores after exposure to PES-Solid (a solid source of peracetic acid), including PES-Solid formulations with bacteriostatic surfactants. Spores (≥ 7 logs) were dried on seven different test materials and treated with three different PES-Solid formulations (or preneutralized controls) at room temperature for 15 min. There was either no spore survival or less than 1 log (<10 spores) of spore survival in 56 of 63 test combinations (strain, formulation and substrate). Less than 2.7 logs (<180 spores) survived in the remaining seven test combinations. The highest spore survival rates were seen on water-dispersible chemical agent resistant coating (CARC-W) and Naval ship topcoat (NTC). Electron microscopy and Coulter analysis showed that all spore structures were intact after spore inactivation with PES-Solid. Three PES-Solid formulations inactivated Bacillus spores that were dried on seven different materials. A test method was developed to show that PES-Solid formulations effectively inactivate Bacillus spores on different materials. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  12. Bacillus galliciensis sp. nov., isolated from faeces of wild seahorses (Hippocampus guttulatus).

    PubMed

    Balcázar, José Luis; Pintado, José; Planas, Miquel

    2010-04-01

    A Gram-positive-staining, motile, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacterium (BFLP-1( T)) was isolated from faeces of wild long-snouted seahorses ( Hippocampus guttulatus) captured in north-west Spain (Toralla, Galicia). Strain BFLP-1(T) grew at 10-30 degrees C and pH 5.5-9 (optimally at 20 degrees C and pH 7.2) and with 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally with 2 % NaCl). The G+C content of the DNA was 48.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain BFLP-1(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus and was most closely related to Bacillus herbersteinensis D-1,5a(T) (96.6 %), B. shackletonii LMG 18435(T) (96.0 %) and B. isabeliae CVS-8(T) (95.9 %). Chemotaxonomic data (peptidoglycan type, meso-diaminopimelic acid; major menaquinone, MK-7; predominant fatty acids, anteiso-C(15 : 0 ), anteiso-C(17 : 0) and C(16 : 1 )omega11c; major polar lipids, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unknown aminoglycophospholipid) supported the affiliation of strain BFLP-1(T) to the genus Bacillus . Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and chemotaxonomic and phenotypic features indicated that strain BFLP-1(T) represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus galliciensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BFLP-1( T) (=DSM 21539(T) =LMG 24668(T)).

  13. Gas discharge plasmas are effective in inactivating Bacillus and Clostridium spores.

    PubMed

    Tseng, Shawn; Abramzon, Nina; Jackson, James O; Lin, Wei-Jen

    2012-03-01

    Bacterial spores are the most resistant form of life and have been a major threat to public health and food safety. Nonthermal atmospheric gas discharge plasma is a novel sterilization method that leaves no chemical residue. In our study, a helium radio-frequency cold plasma jet was used to examine its sporicidal effect on selected strains of Bacillus and Clostridium. The species tested included Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Clostridium sporogenes, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium difficile, and Clostridium botulinum type A and type E. The plasmas were effective in inactivating selected Bacillus and Clostridia spores with D values (decimal reduction time) ranging from 2 to 8 min. Among all spores tested, C. botulinum type A and C. sporogenes were significantly more resistant to plasma inactivation than other species. Observations by phase contrast microscopy showed that B. subtilis spores were severely damaged by plasmas and the majority of the treated spores were unable to initiate the germination process. There was no detectable fragmentation of the DNA when the spores were treated for up to 20 min. The release of dipicolinic acid was observed almost immediately after the plasma treatment, indicating the spore envelope damage could occur quickly resulting in dipicolinic acid release and the reduction of spore resistance.

  14. Formaldehyde gas inactivation of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials.

    PubMed

    Rogers, J V; Choi, Y W; Richter, W R; Rudnicki, D C; Joseph, D W; Sabourin, C L K; Taylor, M L; Chang, J C S

    2007-10-01

    To evaluate the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials using formaldehyde gas. B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores were dried on seven types of indoor surfaces and exposed to approx. 1100 ppm formaldehyde gas for 10 h. Formaldehyde exposure significantly decreased viable B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores on all test materials. Significant differences were observed when comparing the reduction in viable spores of B. anthracis with B. subtilis (galvanized metal and painted wallboard paper) and G. stearothermophilus (industrial carpet and painted wallboard paper). Formaldehyde gas inactivated>or=50% of the biological indicators and spore strips (approx. 1x10(6) CFU) when analyzed after 1 and 7 days. Formaldehyde gas significantly reduced the number of viable spores on both porous and nonporous materials in which the two surrogates exhibited similar log reductions to that of B. anthracis on most test materials. These results provide new comparative information for the decontamination of B. anthracis spores with surrogates on indoor surfaces using formaldehyde gas.

  15. 40 CFR 174.509 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein...-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.509 Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein are exempted...

  16. 40 CFR 174.509 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein...-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.509 Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein are exempted...

  17. 40 CFR 174.504 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein...-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.504 Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in the food...

  18. 40 CFR 174.509 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein...-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.509 Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein are exempted...

  19. 40 CFR 174.509 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein...-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.509 Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein are exempted...

  20. 40 CFR 174.509 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein...-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.509 Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3A protein are exempted...

  1. HtrC Is Involved in Proteolysis of YpeB during Germination of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis Spores

    PubMed Central

    Bernhards, Casey B.; Chen, Yan; Toutkoushian, Hannah

    2014-01-01

    Bacterial endospores can remain dormant for decades yet can respond to nutrients, germinate, and resume growth within minutes. An essential step in the germination process is degradation of the spore cortex peptidoglycan wall, and the SleB protein in Bacillus species plays a key role in this process. Stable incorporation of SleB into the spore requires the YpeB protein, and some evidence suggests that the two proteins interact within the dormant spore. Early during germination, YpeB is proteolytically processed to a stable fragment. In this work, the primary sites of YpeB cleavage were identified in Bacillus anthracis, and it was shown that the stable products are comprised of the C-terminal domain of YpeB. Modification of the predominant YpeB cleavage sites reduced proteolysis, but cleavage at other sites still resulted in loss of full-length YpeB. A B. anthracis strain lacking the HtrC protease did not generate the same stable YpeB products. In B. anthracis and Bacillus subtilis htrC mutants, YpeB was partially stabilized during germination but was still degraded at a reduced rate by other, unidentified proteases. Purified HtrC cleaved YpeB to a fragment similar to that observed in vivo, and this cleavage was stimulated by Mn2+ or Ca2+ ions. A lack of HtrC did not stabilize YpeB or SleB during spore formation in the absence of the partner protein, indicating other proteases are involved in their degradation during sporulation. PMID:25384476

  2. Bacillus wiedmannii sp. nov., a psychrotolerant and cytotoxic Bacillus cereus group species isolated from dairy foods and dairy environments

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Rachel A.; Beno, Sarah M.; Kent, David J.; Carroll, Laura M.; Martin, Nicole H.; Boor, Kathryn J.

    2016-01-01

    A facultatively anaerobic, spore-forming Bacillus strain, FSL W8-0169T, collected from raw milk stored in a silo at a dairy powder processing plant in the north-eastern USA was initially identified as a Bacillus cereus group species based on a partial sequence of the rpoB gene and 16S rRNA gene sequence. Analysis of core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms clustered this strain separately from known B. cereus group species. Pairwise average nucleotide identity blast values obtained for FSL W8-0169T compared to the type strains of existing B. cereus group species were <95 % and predicted DNA–DNA hybridization values were <70 %, suggesting that this strain represents a novel B. cereus group species. We characterized 10 additional strains with the same or closely related rpoB allelic type, by whole genome sequencing and phenotypic analyses. Phenotypic characterization identified a higher content of iso-C16 : 0 fatty acid and the combined inability to ferment sucrose or to hydrolyse arginine as the key characteristics differentiating FSL W8-0169T from other B. cereus group species. FSL W8-0169T is psychrotolerant, produces haemolysin BL and non-haemolytic enterotoxin, and is cytotoxic in a HeLa cell model. The name Bacillus wiedmannii sp. nov. is proposed for the novel species represented by the type strain FSL W8-0169T (=DSM 102050T=LMG 29269T). PMID:27520992

  3. Pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki to Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zhioua, Elyes; Heyer, Klaus; Browning, M.; Ginsberg, Howard S.; LeBrun, Roger A.

    1999-01-01

    Pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki de Barjac & Lemille was tested against the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say. Engorged larvae dipped in a solution of 108 spores per ml showed 96% mortality, 3 wk post-infection. The LC50 value for engorged larvae (concentration required to kill 50% of ticks) was 107 spores/ml. Bacillus thuringiensis shows considerable potential as a microbial control agent for the management of Ixodes scapularis.

  4. Introduction and expression of the cry1Ac gene of Bacillus thuringiensis in a cereal-associated bacterium, Bacillus polymyxa.

    PubMed

    Sudha, S N; Jayakumar, R; Sekar, V

    1999-03-01

    The abilities of Bacillus polymyxa and Bacillus thuringiensis to survive on the rice phyllospere were compared; it was found that B. polymyxa colonizes the crop better. This study also showed that B. polymyxa inoculation to rice plants increased the shoot and the root growth of the crop. Efforts were made to introduce the cry1Ac gene of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki into B. polymyxa so that the application of such transgenic B. polymyxa strains would prove to be dually beneficial to rice crops both as a biopesticide and as a biofertilizer. Immunoblot analysis of the recombinant organism containing the cry1Ac gene, strain BP113, indicated efficient expression of this gene in the heterologous host. Bioassays with the first instar larvae of the yellow stem borer of rice (Scirpophaga incertulas) revealed that the protein preparations from BP113 were toxic.

  5. Effects of Secondary Metabolites of Permafrost Bacillus sp. on Cytokine Synthesis by Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

    PubMed

    Kalenova, L F; Kolyvanova, S S; Bazhin, A S; Besedin, I M; Mel'nikov, V P

    2017-06-01

    We studied the effects of secondary metabolites of Bacillus sp. isolated from late Neogene permafrost on secretion of proinflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-2, and IFNγ) and antiinflammatory (IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. It was found that metabolites of Bacillus sp. produced more potent effect on cytokine secretion than mitogen phytohemagglutinin and metabolites of Bacillus cereus, medicinal strain IP5832. Activity of metabolites depended on the temperature of bacteria incubation. "Cold" metabolites of Bacillus sp. (isolated at -5°C) primarily induced Th1-mediated secretion of IFNγ, while "warm" metabolites (obtained at 37°C) induced Th2-mediated secretion of IL-4. The results suggest that Bacillus sp. metabolites are promising material for the development of immunomodulating drugs.

  6. Genetic Characterization of Bacillus anthracis 17 JB strain.

    PubMed

    Seyed-Mohamadi, Sakineh; Moradi Bidhendi, Soheila; Tadayon, Keyvan; Ghaderi, Rainak

    2015-06-01

    Bacillus anthracis is one of the most homogenous bacteria ever described. Some level of diversity. Bacillus anthracis 17JB is a laboratory strain It is broadly used as a challenge strain in guinea pigs for potency test of anthrax vaccine. This work describes genetic characterization of B. anthracis 17 JB strain using the SNPs and MLVA genotyping. In SNPs typing, the originally French 17JB strain represented the A.Br. 008/009 subgroup. In Levy's genotyping method, 843, 451 and 864 bp long fragments were identified at AA03, AJ03 and AA07 loci, respectively. In the vaccine manufacturer perspective these findings are much valuable on their own account, but similar research is required to extend molecular knowledge of B. anthracis epidemiology in Persia.

  7. Bacillus “next generation” diagnostics: moving from detection toward subtyping and risk-related strain profiling

    PubMed Central

    Ehling-Schulz, Monika; Messelhäusser, Ute

    2013-01-01

    The highly heterogeneous genus Bacillus comprises the largest species group of endospore forming bacteria. Because of their ubiquitous nature, Bacillus spores can enter food production at several stages resulting in significant economic losses and posing a potential risk to consumers due the capacity of certain Bacillus strains for toxin production. In the past, food microbiological diagnostics was focused on the determination of species using conventional culture-based methods, which are still widely used. However, due to the extreme intra-species diversity found in the genus Bacillus, DNA-based identification and typing methods are gaining increasing importance in routine diagnostics. Several studies showed that certain characteristics are rather strain-dependent than species-specific. Therefore, the challenge for current and future Bacillus diagnostics is not only the efficient and accurate identification on species level but also the development of rapid methods to identify strains with specific characteristics (such as stress resistance or spoilage potential), trace contamination sources, and last but not least discriminate potential hazardous strains from non-toxic strains. PMID:23440299

  8. Multigeneration Cross-Contamination of Mail with Bacillus anthracis Spores

    PubMed Central

    Edmonds, Jason; Lindquist, H. D. Alan; Sabol, Jonathan; Martinez, Kenneth; Shadomy, Sean; Cymet, Tyler; Emanuel, Peter

    2016-01-01

    The release of biological agents, including those which could be used in biowarfare or bioterrorism in large urban areas, has been a concern for governments for nearly three decades. Previous incidents from Sverdlosk and the postal anthrax attack of 2001 have raised questions on the mechanism of spread of Bacillus anthracis spores as an aerosol or contaminant. Prior studies have demonstrated that Bacillus atrophaeus is easily transferred through simulated mail handing, but no reports have demonstrated this ability with Bacillus anthracis spores, which have morphological differences that may affect adhesion properties between spore and formite. In this study, equipment developed to simulate interactions across three generations of envelopes subjected to tumbling and mixing was used to evaluate the potential for cross-contamination of B. anthracis spores in simulated mail handling. In these experiments, we found that the potential for cross-contamination through letter tumbling from one generation to the next varied between generations while the presence of a fluidizer had no statistical impact on the transfer of material. Likewise, the presence or absence of a fluidizer had no statistically significant impact on cross-contamination levels or reaerosolization from letter opening. PMID:27123934

  9. Bacillus niabensis sp. nov., isolated from cotton-waste composts for mushroom cultivation.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Soon-Wo; Lee, Seon-Young; Kim, Byung-Yong; Weon, Hang-Yeon; Kim, Jung-Bong; Go, Seung-Joo; Lee, Gil-Bok

    2007-08-01

    A group of five bacilli, designated strains 4T12, 4T19(T), 5M45, 5M53 and 5T52, isolated from cotton-waste composts for mushroom cultivation, were examined. These strains were Gram-positive, aerobic, motile, spore-forming rods. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses revealed that the isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus, showing the highest levels of similarity (approx. 96.6-96.9 %) with respect to Bacillus herbersteinensis DSM 16534(T). The values for DNA-DNA hybridization (approx. 85-96 %) among these five strains revealed that they belong to the same species. The major menaquinone present was MK-7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0) (approx. 24.5-33.9 %) and C(16 : 0) (approx. 15.1-34.1 %). The DNA G+C contents were 37.7-40.9 mol%. On the basis of physiological, biochemical, chemotaxonomic and comparative genomic analyses, the five isolates represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus niabensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 4T19(T) (=KACC 11279(T) =DSM 17723(T)).

  10. Global Microarray Analysis of Alkaliphilic Halotolerant Bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 Salt Stress Adaptation

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Liang; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe

    2015-01-01

    The alkaliphilic halotolerant bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 is often exposed to salt stress in its natural habitats. In this study, we used one-colour microarrays to investigate adaptive responses of Bacillus sp. N16-5 transcriptome to long-term growth at different salinity levels (0%, 2%, 8%, and 15% NaCl) and to a sudden salt increase from 0% to 8% NaCl. The common strategies used by bacteria to survive and grow at high salt conditions, such as K+ uptake, Na+ efflux, and the accumulation of organic compatible solutes (glycine betaine and ectoine), were observed in Bacillus sp. N16-5. The genes of SigB regulon involved in general stress responses and chaperone-encoding genes were also induced by high salt concentration. Moreover, the genes regulating swarming ability and the composition of the cytoplasmic membrane and cell wall were also differentially expressed. The genes involved in iron uptake were down-regulated, whereas the iron homeostasis regulator Fur was up-regulated, suggesting that Fur may play a role in the salt adaption of Bacillus sp. N16-5. In summary, we present a comprehensive gene expression profiling of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 cells exposed to high salt stress, which would help elucidate the mechanisms underlying alkaliphilic Bacillus spp. survival in and adaptation to salt stress. PMID:26030352

  11. Evaluation of modified stainless steel surfaces targeted to reduce biofilm formation by common milk sporeformers.

    PubMed

    Jindal, Shivali; Anand, Sanjeev; Huang, Kang; Goddard, Julie; Metzger, Lloyd; Amamcharla, Jayendra

    2016-12-01

    The development of bacterial biofilms on stainless steel (SS) surfaces poses a great threat to the quality of milk and other dairy products as the biofilm-embedded bacteria can survive thermal processing. Established biofilms offer cleaning challenges because they are resistant to most of the regular cleaning protocols. Sporeforming thermoduric organisms entrapped within biofilm matrix can also form heat-resistant spores, and may result in a long-term persistent contamination. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different nonfouling coatings [AMC 18 (Advanced Materials Components Express, Lemont, PA), Dursan (SilcoTek Corporation, Bellefonte, PA), Ni-P-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Avtec Finishing Systems, New Hope, MN), and Lectrofluor 641 (General Magnaplate Corporation, Linden, NJ)] on SS plate heat exchanger surfaces, to resist the formation of bacterial biofilms. It was hypothesized that modified SS surfaces would promote a lesser amount of deposit buildup and bacterial adhesion as compared with the native SS surface. Vegetative cells of aerobic sporeformers, Geobacillus stearothermophilus (ATCC 15952), Bacillus licheniformis (ATCC 6634), and Bacillus sporothermodurans (DSM 10599), were used to study biofilm development on the modified and native SS surfaces. The adherence of these organisms, though influenced by surface energy and hydrophobicity, exhibited no apparent relation with surface roughness. The Ni-P-PTFE coating exhibited the least bacterial attachment and milk solid deposition, and hence, was the most resistant to biofilm formation. Scanning electron microscopy, which was used to visualize the extent of biofilm formation on modified and native SS surfaces, also revealed lower bacterial attachment on the Ni-P-PTFE as compared with the native SS surface. This study thus provides evidence of reduced biofilm formation on the modified SS surfaces. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier

  12. Germination of Spores of Astrobiologically Relevant Bacillus Species in High-Salinity Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nagler, Katja; Julius, Christina; Moeller, Ralf

    2016-07-01

    In times of increasing space exploration and search for extraterrestrial life, new questions and challenges for planetary protection, aiming to avoid forward contamination of different planets or moons with terrestrial life, are emerging. Spore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus species have a high contamination potential due to their spores' extreme resistance, enabling them to withstand space conditions. Spores require liquid water for their conversion into a growing cell (i.e., spore germination and subsequent growth). If present, water on extraterrestrial planets or moons is likely to be closely associated with salts (e.g., in salty oceans or brines), thus constituting high-salinity environments. Spores of Bacillus subtilis can germinate despite very high salt concentrations, although salt stress does exert negative effects on this process. In this study, germination and metabolic reactivation ("outgrowth") of spores of five astrobiologically relevant Bacillus species (B. megaterium, B. pumilus SAFR-032, B. nealsonii, B. mojavensis, and B. vallismortis) in high salinity (≤3.6 M NaCl) were investigated. Spores of different species exhibited different germination and outgrowth capabilities in high salinity, which strongly depended on germination conditions, especially the exact composition of the medium. In this context, a new "universal" germination trigger for Bacillus spores, named KAGE (KCl, L-alanine, D-glucose, ectoine), was identified, which will be very useful for future comparative germination and outgrowth studies on different Bacillus species. Overall, this study yielded interesting new insights on salt stress effects on spore germination and points out the difficulty of predicting the potential of spores to contaminate salty environments on extraterrestrial celestial bodies.

  13. Antagonism of Bacillus spp. isolated from marine biofilms against terrestrial phytopathogenic fungi.

    PubMed

    Ortega-Morales, B O; Ortega-Morales, F N; Lara-Reyna, J; De la Rosa-García, S C; Martínez-Hernández, A; Montero-M, Jorge

    2009-01-01

    We aimed at determining the antagonistic behavior of bacteria derived from marine biofilms against terrestrial phytopathogenic fungi. Some bacteria closely related to Bacillus mojavensis (three isolates) and Bacillus firmus (one isolate) displayed antagonistic activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ATCC 42374, selected as first screen organism. The four isolates were further quantitatively tested against C. gloeosporioides, Colletotrichum fragariae, and Fusarium oxysporum on two culture media, potato dextrose agar (PDA) and a marine medium-based agar [yeast extract agar (YEA)] at different times of growth of the antagonists (early, co-inoculation with the pathogen and late). Overall antagonistic assays showed differential susceptibility among the pathogens as a function of the type of culture media and time of colonization (P < 0.05). In general, higher suppressive activities were recorded for assays performed on YEA than on PDA; and also when the antagonists were allowed to grow 24 h earlier than the pathogen. F. oxysporum was the most resistant fungus while the most sensitive was C. gloeosporioides ATCC 42374. Significant differences in antagonistic activity (P < 0.05) were found between the different isolates. In general, Bacillus sp. MC3B-22 displayed a greater antagonistic effect than the commercial biocontrol strain Bacillus subtilis G03 (Kodiak). Further incubation studies and scanning electronic microscopy revealed that Bacillus sp. MC3B-22 was able to colonize, multiply, and inhibit C. gloeosporioides ATCC 42374 when tested in a mango leaf assay, showing its potential for fungal biocontrol. Additional studies are required to definitively identify the active isolates and to determine their mode of antifungal action, safety, and biocompatibility.

  14. Distribution of phenotypes among Bacillus thuringiensis strains

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    An extensive collection of Bacillus thuringiensis isolates from around the world were phenotypically profiled using standard biochemical tests. Six phenotypic traits occurred in 20-86% of the isolates and were useful in distinguishing isolates: production of urease (U; 20.5% of isolates), hydrolysis...

  15. The Blueprint of a Minimal Cell: MiniBacillus

    PubMed Central

    Reuß, Daniel R.; Commichau, Fabian M.; Gundlach, Jan; Zhu, Bingyao

    2016-01-01

    SUMMARY Bacillus subtilis is one of the best-studied organisms. Due to the broad knowledge and annotation and the well-developed genetic system, this bacterium is an excellent starting point for genome minimization with the aim of constructing a minimal cell. We have analyzed the genome of B. subtilis and selected all genes that are required to allow life in complex medium at 37°C. This selection is based on the known information on essential genes and functions as well as on gene and protein expression data and gene conservation. The list presented here includes 523 and 119 genes coding for proteins and RNAs, respectively. These proteins and RNAs are required for the basic functions of life in information processing (replication and chromosome maintenance, transcription, translation, protein folding, and secretion), metabolism, cell division, and the integrity of the minimal cell. The completeness of the selected metabolic pathways, reactions, and enzymes was verified by the development of a model of metabolism of the minimal cell. A comparison of the MiniBacillus genome to the recently reported designed minimal genome of Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn3.0 indicates excellent agreement in the information-processing pathways, whereas each species has a metabolism that reflects specific evolution and adaptation. The blueprint of MiniBacillus presented here serves as the starting point for a successive reduction of the B. subtilis genome. PMID:27681641

  16. [Pilot-scale purification of lipopeptide from marine-derived Bacillus marinus].

    PubMed

    Gu, Kangbo; Guan, Cheng; Xu, Jiahui; Li, Shulan; Luo, Yuanchan; Shen, Guomin; Zhang, Daojing; Li, Yuanguang

    2016-11-25

    This research was aimed at establishing the pilot-scale purification technology of lipopeptide from marine-derived Bacillus marinus. We studied lipopeptide surfactivity interferences on scale-up unit technologies including acid precipitation, methanol extraction, solvent precipitation, salting out, extraction, silica gel column chromatography and HZ806 macroporous absorption resin column chromatography. Then, the unit technologies were combined in a certain order, to remove the impurities gradually, and to gain purified lipopeptide finally, with high recovery rate throughout the whole process. The novel pilot-scale purification technology could effectively isolate and purify lipopeptide with 87.51% to 100% purity in hectograms from 1 ton of Bacillus marinus B-9987 fermentation broth with more than 81.73% recovery rate. The first practical hectogram production of highly purified lipopeptide derived from Bacillus marinus was achieved. With this new purification method, using complex media became possible in fermentation process to reduce the fermentation cost and scale-up the purification for lipopeptide production. For practicability and economy, foaming problem resulting from massive water evaporation was avoided in this technology.

  17. A Bacillus subtilis malate dehydrogenase gene.

    PubMed Central

    Jin, S; De Jesús-Berríos, M; Sonenshein, A L

    1996-01-01

    A Bacillus subtilis gene for malate dehydrogenase (citH) was found downstream of genes for citrate synthase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. Disruption of citH caused partial auxotrophy for aspartate and a requirement for aspartate during sporulation. In the absence of aspartate, citH mutant cells were blocked at a late stage of spore formation. PMID:8550482

  18. 77 FR 73934 - Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 Variant Soil; Amendment to an Exemption From the Requirement of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-12-12

    ... subtilis Strain QST 713 Variant Soil; Amendment to an Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance for Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 To Include Residues of Bacillus subtilis Strain QST 713 Variant Soil... in or on all food commodities by including residues of Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713 variant soil...

  19. Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by a Bacillus sp. of marine origin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janardhanan, A.; Roshmi, T.; Varghese, Rintu T.; Soniya, E. V.; Mathew, Jyothis; Radhakrishnan, E. K.

    2013-04-01

    This study was aimed to explore the nanoparticle synthesizing properties of a silver resistant Bacillus sp. isolated from a marine water sample. The 16SrDNA sequence analysis of the isolate proved it as a Bacillus strain. Very interestingly, the isolate was found to have the ability to form intracellular silver nanoparticles at room temperature within 24 hours. This was confirmed by the UV-Vis absorption analysis which showed a peak at 430 nm corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of silver nanoparticles. Further characterization of the nanoparticles was carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The presence of silver nanoparticles with the size less than 100 nm was confirmed. These particles were found to be extremely stable as confirmed by the TEM analysis after three months of purification. So, the current study is the demonstration of an efficient synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles by a marine Bacillus strain.

  20. Surfactin production by strains of Bacillus mojavensis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus mojavensis, RRC101 is an endophytic bacterium patented for control of fungal diseases in maize and other plants. DNA fingerprint analysis of the rep-PCR fragments of 35 B. mojavensis and 4 B. subtilis strains using the Diversilab genotyping system revealed genotypic distinctive strains alon...

  1. Probiotic Bacillus spp. in Soy-Curd: Nutritional, Rheological, Sensory, and Antioxidant Properties.

    PubMed

    Shobharani, P; Prakash, Maya; Halami, Prakash M

    2015-10-01

    The focus of this study was to coculture probiotic Bacillus spp. with dairy starter cultures namely, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus for enhanced nutritional properties of soy-curd. Subsequently, rheological, sensory, and antioxidant properties of soy-curd along with mineral as well as fatty acid composition were analyzed. Data revealed an increase in the cell viability of probiotic Bacillus spp. on coculturing rather than as mono-culture. Proximate analysis showed higher nutritional value along with increased trace elements. UFA/SFA ratio, rheology, and sensory properties of probiotic soy-curd were in the acceptable range. Probiotic soy-curd showed higher antioxidant activity as measured by the ability to scavenge free radicals. No significant difference in the overall quality within the probiotic products was observed. However, B. flexus MCC2427 cocultured product displayed slightly better attributes than other samples. In general, the results suggest that soy-curd can be a suitable carrier for probiotic Bacillus spp. and the enhanced nutritional and antioxidant properties could be of additional advantage to combat malnutrition problem. In order to supply consumers with intriguing probiotic products for improving health benefits, several criteria including technological and functional properties should be considered as a quality control measures. Further, a meaningful level of probiotics has to be viable to exhibit beneficial effect. Hence, present work has been carried out to improve the quality of soy-curd by supplementation of probiotic Bacillus spp. These Bacillus spp. are well characterized native probiotic cultures with potential functional attributes including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticholesterol activity (Shobharani and Halami 2014). Hence, the application of these cultures will encourage for development of food product with wider health benefits. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  2. Composite Sampling of a Bacillus anthracis Surrogate with ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Journal Article A series of experiments were conducted to explore the utility of composite-based collection of surface samples for the detection of a Bacillus anthracis surrogate using cellulose sponge samplers on a stainless steel surface.

  3. Survival strategies of Bacillus spores in food.

    PubMed

    Stecchini, Mara Lucia; Del Torre, Manuela; Polese, Pierluigi

    2013-11-01

    Control of bacterial spores is one of the major problem in the food preservation. Spores of Bacillus genus are commonly present in different environments, including soil and the gut of insects and animals and, as a result, they can be spread to all kind of foods. Due to their high resistance properties, their complete inactivation in food is often impossible without changing the product characteristics. Surviving spores can germinate and grow out to vegetative cells, with the consequent great risk of food spoilage and food poisoning after consumption. Spores have evolved various mechanisms, including phenotypic variability, to protect themselves from a wide range of damage resulting from food preservation treatments. Even if the phenotypic heterogeneity contributes to increase the chances of survival of Bacillus spore to conventional preservation treatments, in some specific instances, an homogeneous response could be the result of a strategy adopted by the spores to increase resistance to those treatments.

  4. [Effect of carbon and nitrogen sources and complex B vitamins on the synthesis of alkaline protease by different strains of Bacillus mesentericus and Bacillus subtilis].

    PubMed

    Emtseva, T V

    1975-01-01

    The effect of different sources of carbon, nitrogen, amino acids and vitamins on the synthesis of alkaline proteases by the stock and mutant strains of Bacillus mesentericus and by the natural strain of Bacillus subtilis-12 has been investigated. The maximum synthesis of alkaline protease has been obtained in the media containing starch or its hydrolysates--dextrine and maltose as the carbon source. Ammonium phosphate and casein as the nitrogen source prove to be optimal for Bac. mesentericus and Bac. subtilis, respectively. Complex B vitamins added to the nutrient medium accelerate the enzyme synthesis 2.5-4-fold.

  5. Systematic Evaluation of Aggressive Air Sampling for Bacillus ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report The primary objectives of this project were to evaluate the Aggressive Air Sampling (AAS) method compared to currently used surface sampling methods and to determine if AAS is a viable option for sampling Bacillus anthracis spores.

  6. Evaluation of Surface Sampling for Bacillus Spores Using ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report The primary objectives of this project were to evaluate the Aggressive Air Sampling (AAS) method compared to currently used surface sampling methods and to determine if AAS is a viable option for sampling Bacillus anthracis spores.

  7. Rope-producing strains of Bacillus spp. from wheat bread and strategy for their control by lactic acid bacteria.

    PubMed

    Pepe, Olimpia; Blaiotta, Giuseppe; Moschetti, Giancarlo; Greco, Teresa; Villani, Francesco

    2003-04-01

    Two types of white wheat bread (high- and low-type loaves) were investigated for rope spoilage. Thirty of the 56 breads tested developed rope spoilage within 5 days; the high-type loaves were affected by rope spoilage more than the low-type loaves. Sixty-one Bacillus strains were isolated from ropy breads and were characterized on the basis of their phenotypic and genotypic traits. All of the isolates were identified as Bacillus subtilis by biochemical tests, but molecular assays (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA PCR assay, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis, and sequencing of the V3 region of 16S ribosomal DNA) revealed greater Bacillus species variety in ropy breads. In fact, besides strains of B. subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus cereus, and isolates of Bacillus clausii and Bacillus firmus were also identified. All of the ropy Bacillus isolates exhibited amylase activity, whereas only 32.4% of these isolates were able to produce ropiness in bread slices after treatment at 96 degrees C for 10 min. Strains of lactic acid bacteria previously isolated from sourdough were first selected for antirope activity on bread slices and then used as starters for bread-making experiments. Prevention of growth of approximately 10(4) rope-producing B. subtilis G1 spores per cm(2) on bread slices for more than 15 days was observed when heat-treated cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum E5 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides A27 were added. Growth of B. subtilis G1 occurred after 7 days in breads started with Saccharomyces cerevisiae T22, L. plantarum E5, and L. mesenteroides A27.

  8. Evaluating novel synthetic compounds active against Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus spores using Live imaging with SporeTrackerX.

    PubMed

    Omardien, Soraya; Ter Beek, Alexander; Vischer, Norbert; Montijn, Roy; Schuren, Frank; Brul, Stanley

    2018-06-14

    An empirical approach was taken to screen a novel synthetic compound library designed to be active against Gram-positive bacteria. We obtained five compounds that were active against spores from the model organism Bacillus subtilis and the food-borne pathogen Bacillus cereus during our population based experiments. Using single cell live imaging we were able to observe effects of the compounds on spore germination and outgrowth. Difference in sensitivity to the compounds could be observed between B. subtilis and B. cereus using live imaging, with minor difference in the minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of the compounds against the spores. The compounds all delayed the bursting time of germinated spores and affected the generation time of vegetative cells at sub-inhibitory concentrations. At inhibitory concentrations spore outgrowth was prevented. One compound showed an unexpected potential for preventing spore germination at inhibitory concentrations, which merits further investigation. Our study shows the valuable role single cell live imaging can play in the final selection process of antimicrobial compounds.

  9. An Alkalophilic Bacillus sp. Produces 2-Phenylethylamine

    PubMed Central

    Hamasaki, Nobuko; Shirai, Shinji; Niitsu, Masaru; Kakinuma, Katsumi; Oshima, Tairo

    1993-01-01

    A large amount of 2-phenylethylamine was produced in cells of alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain YN-2000. This amine is secreted in the medium during the cell growth. The amounts of 2-phenylethylamine in both cells and medium change upon changing the pH of the medium. PMID:16349025

  10. Analysis of the Effects of a gerP Mutation on the Germination of Spores of Bacillus subtilis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-11-01

    REPORT Analysis of the effects of a gerP mutation on the germination of spores of Bacillus subtilis 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF... Bacillus subtilis spores with a gerP mutation triggered spore germination via nutrient germinant receptors (GRs) slowly, although this defect was...gerP, Bacillus subtilis , dipicolinic acid Xuan Y. Butzin, Anthony J. Troiano, William H. Coleman, Keren K. Griffiths, Christopher J. Doona, Florence E

  11. Reclassification of Bacillus beijingensis Qiu et al. 2009 and Bacillus ginsengi Qiu et al. 2009 as Bhargavaea beijingensis comb. nov. and Bhargavaea ginsengi comb. nov. and emended description of the genus Bhargavaea.

    PubMed

    Verma, Pankaj; Pandey, Prashant Kumar; Gupta, Arvind Kumar; Seong, Chi Nam; Park, Seong Chan; Choe, Han Na; Baik, Keun Sik; Patole, Milind Shivaji; Shouche, Yogesh Shreepad

    2012-10-01

    We have carried out a polyphasic taxonomic characterization of Bacillus beijingensis DSM 19037(T) and Bacillus ginsengi DSM 19038(T), which are closely related phylogenetically to Bhargavaea cecembensis LMG 24411(T). All three strains are Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, moderately halotolerant and non-spore-forming. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the strains constituted a coherent cluster, with sequence similarities between 99.7 and 98.7 %. The percentage similarity on the basis of amino acid sequences deduced from partial gyrB gene nucleotide sequences of these three type strains was 96.1-92.7 %. Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene and GyrB amino acid sequences, obtained by using three different algorithms, were consistent and showed that these three species constituted a deeply rooted cluster separated from the clades represented by the genera Bacillus, Planococcus, Planomicrobium, Sporosarcina, Lysinibacillus, Viridibacillus, Kurthia and Geobacillus, supporting their placement in the genus Bhargavaea. All three type strains have menaquinone MK-8 as the major respiratory quinone and showed similar fatty acid profiles. The main polar lipids present in the three type strains were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol, and the three strains showed peptidoglycan type A4α with L-lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The DNA G+C contents of Bacillus beijingensis DSM 19037(T), Bacillus ginsengi DSM 19038(T) and Bhargavaea cecembensis LMG 24411(T) were 53.1, 50.2 and 53.7 mol%, respectively. The level of DNA-DNA hybridization among the three strains was 57-39 %, indicating that they are members of different species of the genus Bhargavaea. The phenotypic data are consistent with the placement of these three species in a single genus and support their differentiation at the species level. On the basis of these data, we have emended the description of the genus Bhargavaea and propose the reclassification of Bacillus beijingensis

  12. [Maxillary sinus infection by Bacillus licheniformis: a case report from Djibouti].

    PubMed

    Garcia Hejl, C; Sanmartin, N; Samson, T; Soler, C; Koeck, J-L

    2015-01-01

    Aerobic, spore-forming gram-positive Bacillus spp infections are rare and reported mainly in immunocompromised hosts. We report a case of acute unilateral maxillary sinusitis, caused by Bacillus licheniformis, in a 35-year-old French soldier stationed in Djibouti. It was easily identifiable due to its typical culture and resistance profile. This case is interesting for two reasons: first, it is, to our knowledge, the first case of sinusitis attributed to this microbe, and second, it has rarely been described in immunocompetent patients without altered skin or mucous membranes.

  13. 40 CFR 180.1107 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1107 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin of...

  14. 40 CFR 180.1107 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1107 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin of...

  15. 40 CFR 180.1107 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1107 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin of...

  16. 40 CFR 180.1107 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1107 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin of...

  17. 40 CFR 180.1107 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1107 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin of...

  18. Development of an aerosol surface inoculation method for bacillus spores.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sang Don; Ryan, Shawn P; Snyder, Emily Gibb

    2011-03-01

    A method was developed to deposit Bacillus subtilis spores via aerosolization onto various surface materials for biological agent decontamination and detection studies. This new method uses an apparatus coupled with a metered dose inhaler to reproducibly deposit spores onto various surfaces. A metered dose inhaler was loaded with Bacillus subtilis spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Five different material surfaces (aluminum, galvanized steel, wood, carpet, and painted wallboard paper) were tested using this spore deposition method. This aerosolization method deposited spores at a concentration of more than 10(7) CFU per coupon (18-mm diameter) with less than a 50% coefficient of variation, showing that the aerosolization method developed in this study can deposit reproducible numbers of spores onto various surface coupons. Scanning electron microscopy was used to probe the spore deposition patterns on test coupons. The deposition patterns observed following aerosol impaction were compared to those of liquid inoculation. A physical difference in the spore deposition patterns was observed to result from the two different methods. The spore deposition method developed in this study will help prepare spore coupons via aerosolization fast and reproducibly for bench top decontamination and detection studies.

  19. Protocol for Detection of Bacillus anthracis in Environmental Samples

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This pProtocol Method describes proceduresintended for the analyses of swabs, wipes, Sponge-Sticks, vacuum socks and filters, air filters, drinking water, and decontamination waste water for Bacillus anthracis spores.

  20. Bio sorption of strontium from aqueous solution by New Strain Bacillus sp. GTG-83

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tajer Mohammad Ghazvini, P.; Ghorbanzadeh Mashkani, S.; Ghafourian, H.

    Attempt was made to isolate bacterial strains capable of removing Sr biologically. In this study we collected ten different water samples from naturally radioactive spring Neydasht in Iran and bacterial strains samples isolated. Initial screening of a total of 50 bacterial isolates resulted in selection of one strain. The strain showed maximum adsorption capacity with 55 mg Sr/g dry wt. It was tentatively identified as Bacillus sp. according to morphological and biochemical properties and called strain GTG-83. Studies indicated that Bacillus sp. GTG-83 was able to grow aerobically in the presence of 50 mM SrCl{sub 2} but showed severe growthmore » inhibition at levels above that concentration. The bio-sorption capacity of Bacillus sp. GTG-83 strongly depends on solution pH, and the maximum Sr sorption capacity of Bacillus sp. GTG-83 were obtained at pH 10 independent of the absence or the presence of increasing concentrations of salt (MgCl{sub 2}). Sr-salt bio-sorption studies were also performed at this pH values. Equilibrium uptakes of Sr increased with increasing Sr concentrations up to 250 mg/l for Bacillus sp. GTG-83. Maximum bio-sorption of Sr was obtained at temperatures in the range of 30-35 deg. C. Bacillus sp. GTG-83 bio-sorbed 97 mg Sr/g dry wt at 100 mg/l initial Sr concentration without salt medium (MgCl{sub 2}). When salt concentration (MgCl{sub 2}) increased to 15% (w/v), these values dropped to 23.6 mg Sr/g dry wt at the same conditions. Uptake of Sr within 5 min of incubation was relatively rapid and the absorption continued slowly thereafter. (authors)« less

  1. Bacillus subtilis HJ18-4 from traditional fermented soybean food inhibits Bacillus cereus growth and toxin-related genes.

    PubMed

    Eom, Jeong Seon; Lee, Sun Young; Choi, Hye Sun

    2014-11-01

    Bacillus subtilis HJ18-4 isolated from buckwheat sokseongjang, a traditional Korean fermented soybean food, exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens, including Bacillus cereus. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial efficacy and regulation of toxin gene expression in B. cereus by B. subtilis HJ18-4. Expression of B. cereus toxin-related genes (groEL, nheA, nheC, and entFM) was downregulated by B. subtilis HJ18-4, which also exhibited strong antibacterial activity against B. cereus. We also found that water extracts of soy product fermented with B. subtilis HJ18-4 significantly inhibited the growth of B. cereus and toxin expression. These results indicate that B. subtilis HJ18-4 could be used as an antimicrobial agent to control B. cereus in the fermented soybean food industry. Our findings also provide an opportunity to develop an efficient biological control agent against B. cereus. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Food Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Institute of Food Technologists®

  2. Whole-Genome Sequences of 94 Environmental Isolates of Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato

    PubMed Central

    Feldgarden, Michael; Kolter, Roberto; Mahillon, Jacques

    2013-01-01

    Bacillus cereus sensu lato is a species complex that includes the anthrax pathogen Bacillus anthracis and other bacterial species of medical, industrial, and ecological importance. Their phenotypes of interest are typically linked to large plasmids that are closely related to the anthrax plasmids pXO1 and pXO2. Here, we present the draft genome sequences of 94 isolates of B. cereus sensu lato, which were chosen for their plasmid content and environmental origins. PMID:24092776

  3. Selection and evaluation of Malaysian Bacillus spp. strains as potential probiotics in cultured tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus).

    PubMed

    Yasin, Ina-salwany Md; Razak, Nabilah Fatin; Natrah, F M I; Harmin, Sharr Azni

    2016-07-01

    A total of 58 Gram-positive bacteria strains were isolated from the marine environment and screened for potential probiotics for disease prevention and improving the productivity of tiger grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus larvae and juveniles. The bacteria were identified as Bacillus licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. circulans, B. sphaericus, B. cereus, Brevibacillus brevis, Corynebacterium propinquum, Leifsonia aquatica and Paenibacillus macerans. Only 24 strains showed antagonistic activities against four pathogenic strains; Vibrio alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus and Aeromonas hydrophila, where two of the Bacillus strains, B12 and B45 demonstrated intermediate to highest level of inhibitory activity against these pathogenic strains, respectively. Further assessment by co-culture assay showed that Bacillus strain B12 exhibited a total inhibition of V. alginolyticus, while B45 strain displayed no inhibitory activity. Mixed culture of Bacillus B12 and B45 strains to outcompete V. alginolyticus was observed at a cell density of 10(7) CFU ml(-1). Molecular identification and phylogenetic tree analysis have categorized Bacillus strain B12 to the reference strains GQ340480 and JX290193 of? B. amyloliquafaciens, and Bacillus strain B45 with a reference strain JF496522 of B. subtilis. Safety tests of probionts by intraperitoneal administration of B12 and B45 strains at cell densities of 103, 105 and 10(7) CFU ml(-1) revealed no abnormalities and cent percent survival for healthy Epinephelus fuscoguttatus juveniles within 15 days of experimental period. Overall, the study revealed that Bacillus B12 strain possesses tremendous probiotic potential that could be used as a feed supplement in tiger grouper diets. ?

  4. Decontamination of Bacillus spores adhered to iron and ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Journal Article This study examines the effectiveness of decontaminating Bacillus globigii spores attached to corroded iron and cement-mortar coupons with free chlorine at two pH levels, monochloramine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, peracetic acid (PAA) and acidified nitrite, followed by flushing.

  5. Inhibitory effects of Bacillus subtilis on plant pathogens of conservatory in high latitudes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, Chun-Mei; Wang, Xue; Yang, Jia-Li; Zhang, Yue-Hua

    2018-03-01

    Researching the effect of three kinds of Bacillus and their mixed strains inhibitory on common fungal diseases of conservatory vegetables. The results showed that B. megaterium culture medium had a significant inhibition effect on Cucumber Fusarium wilt, and the inhibition rate was up to 84.36%; B. mucilaginosus and B. megaterium sterile superna-tant had an obvious inhibitory effect on brown disease of eggplant, and the inhibition rate as high as 85.49%; B. subtilis sterile supernatant had a good inhibitory effect on the spore germination of C. Fusarium wilt, and the inhibition rate was 76.83%. The results revealed that Bacillus had a significant inhibitory effect on five common fungal pathogens. Three kinds of Bacillus can be used for the prevention and control of common fungal diseases in conservatory vegetables.

  6. Formulations of Bacillus subtilis BY-2 suppress Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on oilseed rape in the field

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We are developing a collection of Bacillus strains, isolated from different environments, for use in controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on oilseed rape in China and elsewhere. Strain BY-2, isolated from internal tissues of an oilseed rape root, was demonstrated to be Bacillus subtilis based on bi...

  7. Bacillus Endospores - an ideal exobiological Tool

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moeller, R.; Horneck, G.

    Exobiology investigations have one overall goal -- finding the answer to the question if Earth is the only possible place in our universe where life was created. For tackling this question a good approach is to use a simple and ubiquitous system like bacteria as used in BIOPAN and EXPOSE. Many of these microorganisms have the ability to form metabolic inactive continuous forms such as Bacillus endospores. These spores are highly resistant against a variety of environmental stresses, such as toxic chemical agents, desiccation, high and low pressure, high doses of ionising and UV radiation and temperature extremes such as heat or permafrost. They are ubiquitous, inhabit soils and rocks and are easily disseminated by wind and water. Therefore they are suitable test systems for studying several questions of astrobiology, such as the theory of Panspermia, planetary protection issues in connection with missions to Mars or Europa, or chances for life on past or present Mars. The strategies Bacillus sp. endospores have developed to survive harsh conditions include a desiccated spore core, an altered conformation of their DNA (A-form), high concentration of small acid-soluble proteins (SASPs) stabilising the DNA, dipicolinic acid (DPA) for stabilisation and protective spore coating layers. We have investigated the role of endogenous and exogenous pigments in the UV-resistance of Bacillus endospores by using spores of different degree and kind of pigmentation, i.e. white, grey or red spores (DSMZ culture collection). The spectral ranges of UV radiation represented those of the early or present UV radiation climate of Earth or Mars. It was found, that endogenous carotenoids, identified by spectrophotometrical analysis from a spore extract as well as in-situ by Raman spectroscopy, efficiently protect against UV-A radiation, whereas melanin was also protective against UV-C radiation. From these studied follows, that highly pigmented spores might survive even in an intense UV

  8. Inactivation of Bacillus anthracis Spores in Soil Matrices with ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Report This report documents the results of a laboratory study designed to better understand the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas to decontaminate soil materials contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores.

  9. Characterization and antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles, biosynthesized using Bacillus species

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghiuță, I.; Cristea, D.; Croitoru, C.; Kost, J.; Wenkert, R.; Vyrides, I.; Anayiotos, A.; Munteanu, D.

    2018-04-01

    In this work, the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles, using AgNO3 as a precursor, by two Bacillus species, namely Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtillis, is reported. After the synthesis stages, the absorbance of the brown nanoparticle colloidal solutions was assessed by UV-vis spectrophotometry, which showed the peak absorbance values at 418 nm and 414 nm, corresponding to surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. The EDX, SEM and DLS analyses confirmed the formation of spherical silver nanoparticles with an average diameter smaller than 140 nm. XRD confirmed the presence of face-centered cubic silver crystals, with the highest intensity peak at 2θ = 38.12°, which corresponds to the (111) diffraction planes. The antibacterial activity after 24 h of incubation was observed against gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella, as well as gram positive: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes. Furthermore, the antifungal activity was assessed against Candida albicans. The inhibition zone was clearly observed on the plates containing silver nanoparticles, either standalone or in combination with antibiotics, thus showing their potentiating antibacterial effect.

  10. Bioremoval of trivalent chromium using Bacillus biofilms through continuous flow reactor.

    PubMed

    Sundar, K; Sadiq, I Mohammed; Mukherjee, Amitava; Chandrasekaran, N

    2011-11-30

    Present study deals with the applicability of bacterial biofilms for the bioremoval of trivalent chromium from tannery effluents. A continuous flow reactor was designed for the development of biofilms on different substrates like glass beads, pebbles and coarse sand. The parameters for the continuous flow reactor were 20 ml/min flow rate at 30°C, pH4. Biofilm biomass on the substrates was in the following sequence: coarse sand>pebbles>glass beads (4.8 × 10(7), 4.5 × 10(7) and 3.5 × 10(5)CFU/cm(2)), which was confirmed by CLSM. Biofilms developed using consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus on coarse sand had more surface area and was able to remove 98% of Cr(III), SEM-EDX proved 92.60% Cr(III) adsorption on biofilms supported by coarse sand. Utilization of Bacillus biofilms for effective bioremoval of Cr(III) from chrome tanning effluent could be a better option for tannery industry, especially during post chrome tanning operation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Bacillus Classification Based on Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry-Effects of Culture Conditions.

    PubMed

    Shu, Lin-Jie; Yang, Yu-Liang

    2017-11-14

    Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a reliable and rapid technique applied widely in the identification and classification of microbes. MALDI-TOF MS has been used to identify many endospore-forming Bacillus species; however, endospores affect the identification accuracy when using MALDI-TOF MS because they change the protein composition of samples. Since culture conditions directly influence endospore formation and Bacillus growth, in this study we clarified how culture conditions influence the classification of Bacillus species by using MALDI-TOF MS. We analyzed members of the Bacillus subtilis group and Bacillus cereus group using different incubation periods, temperatures and media. Incubation period was found to affect mass spectra due to endospores which were observed mixing with vegetative cells after 24 hours. Culture temperature also resulted in different mass spectra profiles depending on the temperature best suited growth and sporulation. Conversely, the four common media for Bacillus incubation, Luria-Bertani agar, nutrient agar, plate count agar and brain-heart infusion agar did not result in any significant differences in mass spectra profiles. Profiles in the range m/z 1000-3000 were found to provide additional data to the standard ribosomal peptide/protein region m/z 3000-15000 profiles to enable easier differentiation of some highly similar species and the identification of new strains under fresh culture conditions. In summary, control of culture conditions is vital for Bacillus identification and classification by MALDI-TOF MS.

  12. Potential Bacillus probiotics enhance bacterial numbers, water quality and growth during early development of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

    PubMed

    Nimrat, Subuntith; Suksawat, Sunisa; Boonthai, Traimat; Vuthiphandchai, Verapong

    2012-10-12

    Epidemics of epizootics and occurrence of multiresistant antibiotics of pathogenic bacteria in aquaculture have put forward a development of effective probiotics for the sustainable culture. This study examined the effectiveness of forms of mixed Bacillus probiotics (probiotic A and probiotic B) and mode of probiotic administration on growth, bacterial numbers and water quality during rearing of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in two separated experiments: (1) larval stages and (2) postlarval (PL) stages. Forms of Bacillus probiotics and modes of probiotic administration did not affect growth and survival of larval to PL shrimp. The compositions of Bacillus species in probiotic A and probiotic B did not affect growth and survival of larvae. However, postlarvae treated with probiotic B exhibited higher (P<0.05) growth than probiotic A and controls, indicating Bacillus probiotic composition affects the growth of PL shrimp. Total heterotrophic bacteria and Bacillus numbers in larval and PL shrimp or culture water of the treated groups were higher (P<0.05) than in controls. Levels of pH, ammonia and nitrite of the treated shrimp were significantly decreased, compared to the controls. Microencapsulated Bacillus probiotic was effective for rearing of PL L. vannamei. This investigation showed that administration of mixed Bacillus probiotics significantly improved growth and survival of PL shrimp, increased beneficial bacteria in shrimp and culture water and enhanced water quality for the levels of pH, ammonia and nitrite of culture water. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Architecture and High-Resolution Structure of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus Spore Coat Surfaces

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Plomp, M; Leighton, T; Wheeler, K

    2005-02-18

    We have utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to visualize the native surface topology and ultrastructure of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus spores in water and in air. AFM was able to resolve the nanostructure of the exosporium and three distinctive classes of appendages. Removal of the exosporium exposed either a hexagonal honeycomb layer (B. thuringiensis) or a rodlet outer spore coat layer (B. cereus). Removal of the rodlet structure from B. cereus spores revealed an underlying honeycomb layer similar to that observed with B. thuringiensis spores. The periodicity of the rodlet structure on the outer spore coat of B. cereusmore » was {approx}8 nm, and the length of the rodlets was limited to the cross-patched domain structure of this layer to {approx}200 nm. The lattice constant of the honeycomb structures was {approx}9 nm for both B. cereus and B. thuringiensis spores. Both honeycomb structures were composed of multiple, disoriented domains with distinct boundaries. Our results demonstrate that variations in storage and preparation procedures result in architectural changes in individual spore surfaces, which establish AFM as a useful tool for evaluation of preparation and processing ''fingerprints'' of bacterial spores. These results establish that high-resolution AFM has the capacity to reveal species-specific assembly and nanometer scale structure of spore surfaces. These species-specific spore surface structural variations are correlated with sequence divergences in a spore core structural protein SspE.« less

  14. Effects of Bacillus subtilis natto and Different Components in Culture on Rumen Fermentation and Rumen Functional Bacteria In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Sun, Peng; Li, Jinan; Bu, Dengpan; Nan, Xuemei; Du, Hong

    2016-05-01

    This study was to investigate the effects of live or autoclaved Bacillus subtilis natto, their fermented products and media on rumen fermentation and rumen functional bacteria in vitro. Rumen fluid from three multiparous lactating Holstein cows was combined and transferred into serum bottles after diluted. Fifteen serum bottles were divided into five treatments, which were designed as following: CTR (the fermentation of 0.5 g TMR and ruminal fluids from dairy cows), LBS (CTR plus a minimum of 10(11) cfu live Bacillus subtilis natto), ABS (CTR plus a minimum of 10(11) cfu autoclaved Bacillus subtilis natto), BSC (CTR plus 1 ml Bacillus subtilis natto fermentation products without bacteria), and BSM (CTR plus 1 ml liquid fermentation medium). When separated from the culture, live Bacillus subtilis natto individually increased the concentrations of ammonia-N (P < 0.01), MCP production (P < 0.01), and tended to elevate total VFA (P = 0.07), but decreased the ratio of acetate and propionate (P < 0.01). Autoclaved Bacillus subtilis natto has the similar function with the live bacteria except for the ratio of acetate and propionate. Except B. fibrisolvens, live or autoclaved Bacillus subtilis natto did not influence or decreased the 16S rRNA gene quantification of the detected bacteria. BSC and BSM altered the relative expression of certain functional bacteria in the rumen. These results indicated that it was Bacillus subtilis natto thalli that played the important role in promoting rumen fermentation when applied as a probiotic in dairy ration.

  15. SR450 and Superhawk XP applications of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis de Barjac against Culex quinquefasciatus Say

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Sprayer comparisons and larval morality assays were conducted following SR450 backpack mist blower and Superhawk XP thermal fogger applications of Vectobac® WDG Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) de Barjac against Culex quinquefasciatus Say. Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis was applied at m...

  16. Differences in the roles of a glutamine amidotransferase subunit of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate synthase between Bacillus circulans and Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Itagaki, Shiori; Haga, Minami; Oikawa, Yuji; Sakoda, Ayaka; Ohke, Yoshie; Sawada, Hiroshi; Eguchi, Tadashi; Tamegai, Hideyuki

    2013-01-01

    BtrC2 of the butirosin producer Bacillus circulans is a non-catalytic subunit of 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose (DOI) synthase that is involved in butirosin biosynthesis, and also a homolog of glutamine amidotransferase subunit (PdxT) of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) synthase of Bacillus subtilis. BtrC2 has been found to have functions in B. circulans both in primary and secondary metabolism. In this study, we investigated the properties of PdxT of B. subtilis in order to determine whether the property of enzyme stabilization is universal among PdxT homologs. Complementation with PdxT in the btrC2 disruptant of B. circulans restored the growth and short-term production of antibiotics, but long-term production of antibiotics cannot be restored. Additionally, PdxT did not bind physically with or stabilize BtrC. Our results indicate that the function of BtrC2 in secondary metabolism is specific properties, not universal among PdxT homologs.

  17. 40 CFR 180.1282 - Bacillus firmus I-1582; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus firmus I-1582; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. 180.1282 Section 180.1282 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., for residues of Bacillus firmus I-1582 when used as a soil application or seed treatment. [73 FR 25528...

  18. Kinetics of Germination of Bacillus Spores1

    PubMed Central

    Vary, J. C.; Halvorson, H. O.

    1965-01-01

    Vary, J. C. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and H. O. Halvorson. Kinetics or germination of Bacillus spores. J. Bacteriol. 89:1340–1347. 1965.—The kinetics of germination of Bacillus cereus strain T spores was accurately described by McCormick. To study the mechanism of germination, it is necessary to correlate the characteristic changes in a population of germinating spores with the behavior of the individual spores in the same population. Two microscopic events are apparent during germination: microlag, the time interval between the addition of l-alanine to heat-activated spores and the beginning of loss in refractility, and microgermination time, the time for the actual change in refractility to occur. The frequency distributions of both events are skewed, and appear to be independent. The effects of l-alanine concentration, heat activation, and temperature of germination on three parameters, microlag, microgermination, and per cent germination, were microscopically studied. The data are discussed in relation to the mechanism of germination, and a correlation between microlag and microgermination times with the constants of McCormick's equation has been suggested. Images PMID:14293008

  19. Biodegradation of furfural by Bacillus subtilis strain DS3.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Dan; Bao, Jianguo; Lu, Jueming; Lv, Quanxi

    2015-07-01

    An aerobic bacterial strain DS3, capable of growing on furfural as sole carbon source, was isolated from actived sludge of wastewater treatment plant in a diosgenin factory after enrichment. Based on morphological physiological tests as well as 16SrDNA sequence and Biolog analyses it was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The study revealed that strain DS3 utilized furfural, as analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Under following conditions: pH 8.0, temperature 35 degrees C, 150 rpm and 10% inoculum, strain DS3 showed 31.2% furfural degradation. Furthermore, DS3 strain was found to tolerate furfural concentration as high as 6000 mg(-1). The ability of Bacillus subtilis strain DS3 to degrade furfural has been demonstrated for the first time in the present study.

  20. Involvement of Colonizing Bacillus Isolates in Glucovanillin Hydrolysis during the Curing of Vanilla planifolia Andrews

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yonggan; Li, Jihua; He, Shuzhen; Xu, Fei; Fang, Yiming

    2015-01-01

    Vanilla beans were analyzed using biochemical methods, which revealed that glucovanillin disperses from the inner part to the outer part of the vanilla bean during the curing process and is simultaneously hydrolyzed by β-d-glucosidase. Enzymatic hydrolysis was found to occur on the surface of the vanilla beans. Transcripts of the β-d-glucosidase gene (bgl) of colonizing microorganisms were detected. The results directly indicate that colonizing microorganisms are involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the colonizing microorganisms mainly belonged to the Bacillus genus. bgl was detected in all the isolates and presented clustering similar to that of the isolate taxonomy. Furthermore, inoculation of green fluorescent protein-tagged isolates showed that the Bacillus isolates can colonize vanilla beans. Glucovanillin was metabolized as the sole source of carbon in a culture of the isolates within 24 h. These isolates presented unique glucovanillin degradation capabilities. Vanillin was the major volatile compound in the culture. Other compounds, such as α-cubebene, β-pinene, and guaiacol, were detected in some isolate cultures. Colonizing Bacillus isolates were found to hydrolyze glucovanillin in culture, indirectly demonstrating the involvement of colonizing Bacillus isolates in glucovanillin hydrolysis during the vanilla curing process. Based on these results, we conclude that colonizing Bacillus isolates produce β-d-glucosidase, which mediates glucovanillin hydrolysis and influences flavor formation. PMID:25979899

  1. The role of bacillus-based biological control agents in integrated pest management systems: plant diseases.

    PubMed

    Jacobsen, B J; Zidack, N K; Larson, B J

    2004-11-01

    ABSTRACT Bacillus-based biological control agents (BCAs) have great potential in integrated pest management (IPM) systems; however, relatively little work has been published on integration with other IPM management tools. Unfortunately, most research has focused on BCAs as alternatives to synthetic chemical fungicides or bactericides and not as part of an integrated management system. IPM has had many definitions and this review will use the national coalition for IPM definition: "A sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks." This review will examine the integrated use of Bacillus-based BCAs with disease management tools, including resistant cultivars, fungicides or bactericides, or other BCAs. This integration is important because the consistency and degree of disease control by Bacillus-based BCAs is rarely equal to the control afforded by the best fungicides or bactericides. In theory, integration of several tools brings stability to disease management programs. Integration of BCAs with other disease management tools often provides broader crop adaptation and both more efficacious and consistent levels of disease control. This review will also discuss the use of Bacillus-based BCAs in fungicide resistance management. Work with Bacillus thuringiensis and insect pest management is the exception to the relative paucity of reports but will not be the focus of this review.

  2. Bacillus arsenicoselenatis, sp. nov., and Bacillus selenitireducens, sp. nov.: Two haloalkaliphiles from Mono Lake, California that respire oxyanions of selenium and arsenic

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Switzer, Blum J.; Burns, Bindi A.; Buzzelli, J.; Stolz, J.F.; Oremland, R.S.

    1998-01-01

    Two gram-positive anaerobic bacteria (strains E1H and MLS10) were isolated from the anoxic muds of Mono Lake, California, an alkaline, hypersaline, arsenic-rich water body. Both grew by dissimilatory reduction of As(V) to As(III) with the concomitant oxidation of lactate to acetate plus CO2. Bacillus arsenicoselenatis (strain E1H) is a spore-forming rod that also grew by dissimilatory reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV). Bacillus selenitireducens (strain MLS 10) is a short, non-spore-forming rod that grew by dissimilatory reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0). When the two isolates were cocultured, a complete reduction of Se(VI) to Se(0) was achieved. Both isolates are alkaliphiles and had optimal specific growth rates in the pH range of 8.5-10. Strain E1H had a salinity optimum at 60 g 1-1 NaCl, while strain MLS10 had optimal growth at lower salinities (24-60 g 1-1 NaCl). Both strains have limited abilities to grow with electron donors and acceptors other than those given above. Strain MLS10 demonstrated weak growth as a microaerophile and was also capable of fermentative growth on glucose, while strain E1H is a strict anaerobe. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed the two isolates with other Bacillus spp. in the low G+C gram-positive group of bacteria.

  3. Anti-angiogenic effects of the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B and bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    Reis, Leonardo O; Ferreira, Ubirajara; Billis, Athanase; Cagnon, Valéria H A; Fávaro, Wagner J

    2012-02-01

    We compared and characterized the effects of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin and/or staphylococcal enterotoxin B for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. A total of 75 female Fisher 344 rats were anesthetized. Of the rats 15 received 0.3 ml saline (control) and 60 received 1.5 mg/kg MNU (N-methyl-n-nitrosourea) intravesically every other week for 6 weeks. The rats were divided into 5 groups. The MNU and control groups received 0.3 ml saline. The bacillus Calmette-Guérin group received 10(6) cfu bacillus Calmette-Guérin. The staphylococcal enterotoxin B group received 10 μg/ml staphylococcal enterotoxin B. The bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus staphylococcal enterotoxin B group received the 2 treatments simultaneously. Each group was treated intravesically for 6 weeks. At 15 weeks all bladders were collected for histopathological and immunological evaluation, and Western blot. Papillary carcinoma (pTa) and high grade intraepithelial neoplasia (carcinoma in situ) were more common in the MNU group. Papillary hyperplasia was more common in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin and enterotoxin groups. Flat hyperplasia was more common in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus enterotoxin group. No significant toxicity was observed. The apoptosis and cellular proliferation indexes decreased in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin, enterotoxin and bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus enterotoxin groups compared to the MNU group. Intensified vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, Ki-67 and insulin-like growth factor receptor-1 immunoreactivity was verified in the MNU group, moderate in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin and enterotoxin groups, and weak in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus enterotoxin and control groups. In contrast, intense endostatin immunoreactivity was verified in the control and bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus enterotoxin groups. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin and staphylococcal enterotoxin B showed similar anti-angiogenic effects. Bacillus Calmette

  4. Efficacy of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in the control of Aspergillus parasiticus growth and aflatoxins production on pistachio.

    PubMed

    Siahmoshteh, Fatemeh; Siciliano, Ilenia; Banani, Houda; Hamidi-Esfahani, Zohreh; Razzaghi-Abyaneh, Mehdi; Gullino, Maria Lodovica; Spadaro, Davide

    2017-08-02

    Pistachio (Pistacia vera) is an important nut for its economic, nutritional and health aspects but it can be contaminated by aflatoxigenic fungi in the field and during storage. Biological control could be considered as an alternative to chemical treatment. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic capability of two Bacillus spp. both in vitro and on pistachio kernels. In in vitro conditions, both strains were able to reduce the mycelial growth and they were able to degrade the four aflatoxins during the first three days after inoculation. AFG 1 and AFG 2 were rapidly degraded within two days of incubation with the bacterial strains. No aflatoxin was found in the bacterial cell walls, permitting exclusion of mycotoxin adsorption and hypothesis of an in vitro biodegradation as a mode of action. The cultivar of pistachio most susceptible to fungal colonization was 'Ahmad-Aghaei', selected among four main Iranian cultivars. A. parasiticus was able to grow and produce aflatoxins on pistachios, but at longer inoculation periods, a natural decrease of aflatoxins was registered. Both strains were able to reduce the fungal incidence and number of spores on pistachio with a stronger effect during the first 5dpi. The effect on aflatoxin content in vivo was less pronounced than in vitro, with a maximum effect at 8dpi. At longer times, there was a contrasting effect due to the lower activity of Bacillus spp. in stationary phase and higher growth of Aspergillus species. This consideration could explain the lack of aflatoxin reduction at 12dpi. Both bacterial strains showed good antifungal activity and aflatoxin reduction in in vitro conditions and on pistachio kernels. Altogether, these results indicate that Bacillus species could be considered as potential biocontrol agents to combat toxigenic fungal growth and subsequent aflatoxin contamination of nuts and agricultural crops in practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Mob/oriT, a mobilizable site-specific recombination system for unmarked genetic manipulation in Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Wang, Pengxia; Zhu, Yiguang; Zhang, Yuyang; Zhang, Chunyi; Xu, Jianyi; Deng, Yun; Peng, Donghai; Ruan, Lifang; Sun, Ming

    2016-06-10

    Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus are two important species in B. cereus group. The intensive study of these strains at the molecular level and construction of genetically modified bacteria requires the development of efficient genetic tools. To insert genes into or delete genes from bacterial chromosomes, marker-less manipulation methods were employed. We present a novel genetic manipulation method for B. thuringiensis and B. cereus strains that does not leave selection markers. Our approach takes advantage of the relaxase Mob02281 encoded by plasmid pBMB0228 from Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition to its mobilization function, this Mob protein can mediate recombination between oriT sites. The Mob02281 mobilization module was associated with a spectinomycin-resistance gene to form a Mob-Spc cassette, which was flanked by the core 24-bp oriT sequences from pBMB0228. A strain in which the wild-type chromosome was replaced with the modified copy containing the Mob-Spc cassette at the target locus was obtained via homologous recombination. Thus, the spectinomycin-resistance gene can be used to screen for Mob-Spc cassette integration mutants. Recombination between the two oriT sequences mediated by Mob02281, encoded by the Mob-Spc cassette, resulted in the excision of the Mob-Spc cassette, producing the desired chromosomal alteration without introducing unwanted selection markers. We used this system to generate an in-frame deletion of a target gene in B. thuringiensis as well as a gene located in an operon of B. cereus. Moreover, we demonstrated that this system can be used to introduce a single gene or an expression cassette of interest in B. thuringiensis. The Mob/oriT recombination system provides an efficient method for unmarked genetic manipulation and for constructing genetically modified bacteria of B. thuringiensis and B. cereus. Our method extends the available genetic tools for B. thuringiensis and B. cereus strains.

  6. Improving the selection efficiency of the counter-selection marker pheS* for the genetic engineering of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

    PubMed

    Kharchenko, Maria S; Teslya, Petr N; Babaeva, Maria N; Zakataeva, Natalia P

    2018-05-01

    Bacillus subtilis pheS was genetically modified to obtain a counter-selection marker with high selection efficiency in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The application of the new replication-thermosensitive integrative vector pNZTM1, containing this marker, pheS BsT255S/A309G , with a two-step replacement recombination procedure provides an effective tool for the genetic engineering of industrially important Bacillus species. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. 40 CFR 180.1108 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1108 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin...

  8. 40 CFR 180.1108 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1108 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin...

  9. 40 CFR 180.1108 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1108 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin...

  10. 40 CFR 180.1108 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1108 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin...

  11. 40 CFR 180.1108 - Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Delta endotoxin of Bacillus... From Tolerances § 180.1108 Delta endotoxin of Bacillus thuringiensis variety San Diego encapsulated into killed Pseudomonas fluorescens; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The delta endotoxin...

  12. Diversity of commensal Bacillus cereus sensu lato isolated from the common sow bug (Porcellio scaber, Isopoda).

    PubMed

    Swiecicka, Izabela; Mahillon, Jacques

    2006-04-01

    Although Bacillus cereus sensu lato are important both from an ecological and an economical point of view, little is known about their population structure, ecology, and relationships with other organisms. In the present work, the genotypic similarity of arthropod-borne B. cereus s.l. isolates, and their symbiotic relationship with the host are assessed. Bacilli of this group were recovered from the digestive tracts of sow bugs (Porcellio scaber) collected in three closely located sites. Their genotypic diversity was investigated using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) following the whole-genome DNA digestions with NotI and AscI, and PCR amplification of virulence genes. The majority of the sow-bug Bacillus cereus sensu stricto isolates originating from the same but also from different sites displayed identical PFGE patterns, virulence gene content and enterotoxicity, indicating strong genetic and genomic relationships. The sow-bug Bacillus mycoides/Bacillus pseudomycoides strains displayed a higher diversity. The isopod-B. cereus s.l. relationship was also evaluated using antibiotic-resistant derivatives of B. cereus s.s., B. mycoides/B. pseudomycoides and Bacillus thuringiensis reintroduced into sow bugs. Both spores and vegetative cells of B. cereus s.l. were recovered from sow bugs over a 30-day period, strongly suggesting that these bacteria are natural residents of terrestrial isopods.

  13. Bacillusin A, an antibacterial macrodiolide from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bioassay-guided fractionation of the organic extracts of a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain (AP183) led to the discovery of a new macrocyclic polyene antibiotic, bacillusin A (1). Its structure was assigned by interpretation of NMR and MS spectroscopic data as a novel macrodiolide composed of dimer...

  14. Roles of the Bacillus anthracis Spore Protein ExsK in Exosporium Maturation and Germination

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    exosporium maturation and assembly and suggest a novel role for the exosporium in germination. During starvation, bacteria of the genus Bacillus...Bacillus subtilis, the outermost struc- ture is a protective layer called the coat, which guards the spore against reactive small molecules, degradative ...analysis. Generation of anti-ExsK antibodies. Recombinant ExsK was generated and purified using the pET expression system (Novagen) according to the

  15. Molecular mechanisms involved in Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation

    PubMed Central

    Mielich-Süss, Benjamin; Lopez, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Summary Biofilms are the predominant lifestyle of bacteria in natural environments, and they severely impact our societies in many different fashions. Therefore, biofilm formation is a topic of growing interest in microbiology, and different bacterial models are currently studied to better understand the molecular strategies that bacteria undergo to build biofilms. Among those, biofilms of the soil-dwelling bacterium Bacillus subtilis are commonly used for this purpose. Bacillus subtilis biofilms show remarkable architectural features that are a consequence of sophisticated programs of cellular specialization and cell-cell communication within the community. Many laboratories are trying to unravel the biological role of the morphological features of biofilms, as well as exploring the molecular basis underlying cellular differentiation. In this review, we present a general perspective of the current state of knowledge of biofilm formation in B. subtilis. In particular, a special emphasis is placed on summarizing the most recent discoveries in the field and integrating them into the general view of these truly sophisticated microbial communities. PMID:24909922

  16. Bacillus subtilis genome diversity.

    PubMed

    Earl, Ashlee M; Losick, Richard; Kolter, Roberto

    2007-02-01

    Microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (M-CGH) is a powerful method for rapidly identifying regions of genome diversity among closely related organisms. We used M-CGH to examine the genome diversity of 17 strains belonging to the nonpathogenic species Bacillus subtilis. Our M-CGH results indicate that there is considerable genetic heterogeneity among members of this species; nearly one-third of Bsu168-specific genes exhibited variability, as measured by the microarray hybridization intensities. The variable loci include those encoding proteins involved in antibiotic production, cell wall synthesis, sporulation, and germination. The diversity in these genes may reflect this organism's ability to survive in diverse natural settings.

  17. Bacillus alkalilacus sp. nov., isolated from a sediment sample from a lake in India.

    PubMed

    Singh, Harjodh; Kaur, Manpreet; Sharma, Shivani; Kaur, Lakhwinder; Mishra, Sunita; Tanuku, Naga Radha Srinivas; Pinnaka, Anil Kumar

    2018-05-01

    An aerobic, endospore-forming, haloalkali-tolerant, Gram-stain-positive, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain AK73 T , was isolated from a sediment sample collected from Sambhar lake, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Colonies were circular, 1-2 mm in diameter, glossy, smooth, yellowish and convex with an entire margin after 48 h growth on marine agar at pH 9 and 37 °C. Growth occurred at 15-42 °C, 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl and at a pH range of 7-12. Strain AK73 T was positive for catalase and arginine dihydrolase 2 activities, hydrolysis of Tweens 20, 40 and 80, and negative for esculinase, caseinase, gelatinase, β-galactosidase, lipase (Tween 60) and urease activities. The fatty acids were dominated by branched iso-, anteiso-, saturated fatty acids with a high abundance of iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0; MK-7 was the major menaquinone. The cell-wall peptidoglycan contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminophospholipid, four unidentified phospholipids and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain AK73 T was 54 mol%. Analysis based on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that Bacillus alcalophilus was the nearest phylogenetic neighbour, with a pair-wise sequence similarity of 96.0 %. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain AK73 T formed a separate lineage but was loosely associated with a peripheral cluster of organisms that contained Bacillus gibsonii, Bacillus murimartini and Bacillus plakortidis with similarity values of 93.6, 93.5 and 93.4 %, respectively. Based on its phenotypic characteristics and on phylogenetic inference, strain AK73 T represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus alkalilacus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AK73 T (=JCM 32184 T =MTCC 12637 T =KCTC 33880 T ).

  18. Bacillus cereus and related species.

    PubMed

    Drobniewski, F A

    1993-10-01

    Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive aerobic or facultatively anaerobic spore-forming rod. It is a cause of food poisoning, which is frequently associated with the consumption of rice-based dishes. The organism produces an emetic or diarrheal syndrome induced by an emetic toxin and enterotoxin, respectively. Other toxins are produced during growth, including phospholipases, proteases, and hemolysins, one of which, cereolysin, is a thiol-activated hemolysin. These toxins may contribute to the pathogenicity of B. cereus in nongastrointestinal disease. B. cereus isolated from clinical material other than feces or vomitus was commonly dismissed as a contaminant, but increasingly it is being recognized as a species with pathogenic potential. It is now recognized as an infrequent cause of serious nongastrointestinal infection, particularly in drug addicts, the immunosuppressed, neonates, and postsurgical patients, especially when prosthetic implants such as ventricular shunts are inserted. Ocular infections are the commonest types of severe infection, including endophthalmitis, panophthalmitis, and keratitis, usually with the characteristic formation of corneal ring abscesses. Even with prompt surgical and antimicrobial agent treatment, enucleation of the eye and blindness are common sequelae. Septicemia, meningitis, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and surgical and traumatic wound infections are other manifestations of severe disease. B. cereus produces beta-lactamases, unlike Bacillus anthracis, and so is resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics; it is usually susceptible to treatment with clindamycin, vancomycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and erythromycin. Simultaneous therapy via multiple routes may be required.

  19. Sustainable biodegradation of phenol by immobilized Bacillus sp. SAS19 with porous carbonaceous gels as carriers.

    PubMed

    Ke, Qian; Zhang, Yunge; Wu, Xilin; Su, Xiaomei; Wang, Yuyang; Lin, Hongjun; Mei, Rongwu; Zhang, Yu; Hashmi, Muhammad Zaffar; Chen, Chongjun; Chen, Jianrong

    2018-09-15

    In this study, high-efficient phenol-degrading bacterium Bacillus sp. SAS19 which was isolated from activated sludge by resuscitation-promoting factor (Rpf) addition, were immobilized on porous carbonaceous gels (CGs) for phenol degradation. The phenol-degrading capabilities of free and immobilized Bacillus sp. SAS19 were evaluated under various initial phenol concentrations. The obtained results showed that phenol could be removed effectively by both free and immobilized Bacillus sp. SAS19. Furthermore, for degradation of phenol at high concentrations, long-term utilization and recycling were more readily achieved for immobilized bacteria as compared to free bacteria. Immobilized bacteria exhibited significant increase in phenol-degrading capabilities in the third cycle of recycling and reuse, which demonstrated 87.2% and 100% of phenol (1600 mg/L) degradation efficiency at 12 and 24 h, respectively. The present study revealed that immobilized Bacillus sp. SAS19 can be potentially used for enhanced treatment of synthetic phenol-laden wastewater. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Phylogenetic Analysis of Polygalacturonase-Producing Bacillus and Pseudomonas Isolated From Plant Waste Material

    PubMed Central

    Sohail, Muhammad; Latif, Zakia

    2016-01-01

    Background: Keeping in mind the commercial application of polygalacturonase (PG) in juice and beverages industry, bacterial strains were isolated from rotten fruits and vegetables to screen for competent producers of PG. Objectives: In this study, the plate method was used for preliminary screening of polygalacturonase-producing bacteria, while the Dinitrosalicylic Acid (DNS) method was used for quantifications of PG. Materials and Methods: Biochemically-identified polygalacturonase-producing Bacillus and Pseudomonas species were further characterized by molecular markers. The genetic diversity among these selected strains was analyzed by investigating microsatellite distribution in their genome. Out of 110 strains, 17 competent strains of Bacillus and eight strains of Pseudomonas were selected, identified and confirmed biochemically. Selected strains were characterized by 16S rRNA sequencing and data was submitted to the national center for biotechnology information (NCBI) website for accession numbers. Results: Among the Bacillus, Bacillus vallismortis (JQ990307) isolated from mango was the most competent producer of PG; producing up to 4.4 U/µL. Amongst Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (JQ990314) isolated from oranges was the most competent PG producer equivalent to B. vallismortis (JQ990307). To determine genetic diversity of different strains of Pseudomonas and Bacillus varying in PG production, fingerprinting was done on the basis of Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) or microsatellites. The data was analyzed and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Minitab 3 software for comparison of bacterial isolates producing different concentrations of PG. Fingerprinting showed that presence or absence of certain microsatellites correlated with the ability of PG production. Conclusions: Bacteria from biological waste were competent producers of PG and must be used on an industrial scale to cope with the demand of PG in the food industry. PMID:27099686

  1. BOOK REVIEW: BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS: A CORNERSTONE OF MODERN AGRICULTURE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Are you interested in the technical issues surrounding the use of Bacillus thuringiensis pesticidal traits as sprays and as plant incorporated protectants (transgenic crops)? Should the dimensions of human health, ecology, entomology, risk assessment, resistance management, and d...

  2. POROSITY OF ISOLATED CELL WALLS OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE AND BACILLUS MEGATERIUM.

    PubMed

    GERHARDT, P; JUDGE, J A

    1964-04-01

    Gerhardt, Philipp (The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), and Jean A. Judge. Porosity of isolated cell walls of a yeast and a bacillus. J. Bacteriol. 87:945-951. 1964.-Decagram masses of cell walls were isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus megaterium; their porosity was examined by measuring the extent of uptake with polyethylene glycols and dextrans varying in molecular weight from 62 to 2,000,000. The results indicated that both walls are heteroporous. The near equality of extrapolated water-uptake values and determined moisture contents suggested that water in the cell walls is mainly free for distribution of solutes. Polymers with molecular weights of 4,500 and above were excluded by the yeast walls, and those with molecular weights of 57,000 were excluded by the bacillus walls; from these results, maximal openings of 36 and 107 A, respectively, were calculated. Electron micrographs of shadowed, stained, and sectioned walls revealed fine structure not inconsistent with heteroporosity, but the predicted openings were not seen. Altogether, in structure and permeability behavior, the cell walls were like a random meshwork of cross-linked macromolecular strands.

  3. Directed evolution improves the fibrinolytic activity of nattokinase from Bacillus natto.

    PubMed

    Yongjun, Cai; Wei, Bao; Shujun, Jiang; Meizhi, Weng; Yan, Jia; Yan, Yin; Zhongliang, Zheng; Goulin, Zou

    2011-12-01

    Nattokinase (subtilisin NAT, NK) is a relatively effective microbial fibrinolytic enzyme that has been identified and characterized from Bacillus natto. In the current report, DNA family shuffling was used to improve the fibrinolytic activity of nattokinase. Three homologous genes from B. natto AS 1.107, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CICC 20164 and Bacillus licheniformis CICC 10092 were shuffled to generate a mutant library. A plate-based method was used to screen the mutant libraries for improved activity. After three rounds of DNA shuffling, one desirable mutant with 16 amino acid substitutions was obtained. The mutant enzyme was purified and characterized. The kinetic measurements showed that the catalytic efficiency of the mutant NK was approximately 2.3 times higher than that of the wild-type nattokinase. In addition, the molecular modeling analysis suggested that the mutations affect the enzymatic function by changing the surface conformation of the substrate-binding pocket. The current study shows that the evolution of nattokinase with improved fibrinolytic activity by DNA family shuffling is feasible and provides useful references to facilitate the application of nattokinase in thrombolytic therapy. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Development of an Aerosol Surface Inoculation Method for Bacillus Spores ▿

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Sang Don; Ryan, Shawn P.; Snyder, Emily Gibb

    2011-01-01

    A method was developed to deposit Bacillus subtilis spores via aerosolization onto various surface materials for biological agent decontamination and detection studies. This new method uses an apparatus coupled with a metered dose inhaler to reproducibly deposit spores onto various surfaces. A metered dose inhaler was loaded with Bacillus subtilis spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Five different material surfaces (aluminum, galvanized steel, wood, carpet, and painted wallboard paper) were tested using this spore deposition method. This aerosolization method deposited spores at a concentration of more than 107 CFU per coupon (18-mm diameter) with less than a 50% coefficient of variation, showing that the aerosolization method developed in this study can deposit reproducible numbers of spores onto various surface coupons. Scanning electron microscopy was used to probe the spore deposition patterns on test coupons. The deposition patterns observed following aerosol impaction were compared to those of liquid inoculation. A physical difference in the spore deposition patterns was observed to result from the two different methods. The spore deposition method developed in this study will help prepare spore coupons via aerosolization fast and reproducibly for bench top decontamination and detection studies. PMID:21193670

  5. Characterization of Cyt2Bc Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. medellin

    PubMed Central

    Juárez-Pérez, Victor; Guerchicoff, Alejandra; Rubinstein, Clara; Delécluse, Armelle

    2002-01-01

    We cloned and sequenced a new cytolysin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. medellin. Three IS240-like insertion sequence elements and the previously cloned cyt1Ab and p21 genes were found in the vicinity of the cytolysin gene. The cytolysin gene encodes a protein 29.7 kDa in size that is 91.5% identical to Cyt2Ba from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and has been designated Cyt2Bc. Inclusions containing Cyt2Bc were purified from the crystal-negative strain SPL407 of B. thuringiensis. Cyt2Bc reacted weakly with antibodies directed against Cyt2Ba and was not recognized by an antiserum directed against the reference cytolysin Cyt1Aa. Cyt2Bc was hemolytic only upon activation with trypsin and had only one-third to one-fifth of the activity of Cyt2Ba, depending on the activation time. Cyt2Bc was also mosquitocidal against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi, and Culex quinquefasciatus, including strains resistant to the Bacillus sphaericus binary toxin. Its toxicity was half of that of Cyt2Ba on all mosquito species except resistant C. quinquefasciatus. PMID:11872472

  6. Activation of Pathogenesis-related Genes by the Rhizobacterium, Bacillus sp. JS, Which Induces Systemic Resistance in Tobacco Plants.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Seong; Lee, Jeongeun; Lee, Chan-Hui; Woo, Su Young; Kang, Hoduck; Seo, Sang-Gyu; Kim, Sun-Hyung

    2015-06-01

    Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known to confer disease resistance to plants. Bacillus sp. JS demonstrated antifungal activities against five fungal pathogens in in vitro assays. To verify whether the volatiles of Bacillus sp. JS confer disease resistance, tobacco leaves pre-treated with the volatiles were damaged by the fungal pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani and oomycete Phytophthora nicotianae. Pre-treated tobacco leaves had smaller lesion than the control plant leaves. In pathogenesis-related (PR) gene expression analysis, volatiles of Bacillus sp. JS caused the up-regulation of PR-2 encoding β-1,3-glucanase and acidic PR-3 encoding chitinase. Expression of acidic PR-4 encoding chitinase and acidic PR-9 encoding peroxidase increased gradually after exposure of the volatiles to Bacillus sp. JS. Basic PR-14 encoding lipid transfer protein was also increased. However, PR-1 genes, as markers of salicylic acid (SA) induced resistance, were not expressed. These results suggested that the volatiles of Bacillus sp. JS confer disease resistance against fungal and oomycete pathogens through PR genes expression.

  7. [Characteristics of Bacillus cereus dissociants].

    PubMed

    Doroshenko, E V; Loĭko, N G; Il'inskaia, O N; Kolpakov, A I; Gornova, I B; Klimanova, E V; El'-Registan, G I

    2001-01-01

    The autoregulation of the phenotypic (populational) variability of the Bacillus cereus strain 504 was studied. The isolated colonial morphotypes of this bacterium were found to differ in their growth characteristics and the synthesis of extracellular proteases. The phenotypic variabilities of vegetative proliferating cells and those germinated from endospores and cystlike refractory cells were different. Bacterial variants also differed in the production of the d1 and d2 factors (the autoinducers of dormancy and autolysis, respectively) and sensitivity to them. The possible role of these factors in the dissociation of microorganisms is discussed.

  8. Involvement of Colonizing Bacillus Isolates in Glucovanillin Hydrolysis during the Curing of Vanilla planifolia Andrews.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yonggan; Gu, Fenglin; Li, Jihua; He, Shuzhen; Xu, Fei; Fang, Yiming

    2015-08-01

    Vanilla beans were analyzed using biochemical methods, which revealed that glucovanillin disperses from the inner part to the outer part of the vanilla bean during the curing process and is simultaneously hydrolyzed by β-d-glucosidase. Enzymatic hydrolysis was found to occur on the surface of the vanilla beans. Transcripts of the β-d-glucosidase gene (bgl) of colonizing microorganisms were detected. The results directly indicate that colonizing microorganisms are involved in glucovanillin hydrolysis. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the colonizing microorganisms mainly belonged to the Bacillus genus. bgl was detected in all the isolates and presented clustering similar to that of the isolate taxonomy. Furthermore, inoculation of green fluorescent protein-tagged isolates showed that the Bacillus isolates can colonize vanilla beans. Glucovanillin was metabolized as the sole source of carbon in a culture of the isolates within 24 h. These isolates presented unique glucovanillin degradation capabilities. Vanillin was the major volatile compound in the culture. Other compounds, such as α-cubebene, β-pinene, and guaiacol, were detected in some isolate cultures. Colonizing Bacillus isolates were found to hydrolyze glucovanillin in culture, indirectly demonstrating the involvement of colonizing Bacillus isolates in glucovanillin hydrolysis during the vanilla curing process. Based on these results, we conclude that colonizing Bacillus isolates produce β-d-glucosidase, which mediates glucovanillin hydrolysis and influences flavor formation. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Test methods and response surface models for hot, humid air decontamination of materials contaminated with dirty spores of Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne and Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam.

    PubMed

    Buhr, T L; Young, A A; Barnette, H K; Minter, Z A; Kennihan, N L; Johnson, C A; Bohmke, M D; DePaola, M; Cora-Laó, M; Page, M A

    2015-11-01

    To develop test methods and evaluate survival of Bacillus anthracis ∆Sterne or Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam on materials contaminated with dirty spore preparations after exposure to hot, humid air using response surface modelling. Spores (>7 log10 ) were mixed with humic acid + spent sporulation medium (organic debris) or kaolin (dirt debris). Spore samples were then dried on five different test materials (wiring insulation, aircraft performance coating, anti-skid, polypropylene, and nylon). Inoculated materials were tested with 19 test combinations of temperature (55, 65, 75°C), relative humidity (70, 80, 90%) and time (1, 2, 3 days). The slowest spore inactivation kinetics was on nylon webbing and/or after addition of organic debris. Hot, humid air effectively decontaminates materials contaminated with dirty Bacillus spore preparations; debris and material interactions create complex decontamination kinetic patterns; and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam is a realistic surrogate for B. anthracis. Response surface models of hot, humid air decontamination were developed which may be used to select decontamination parameters for contamination scenarios including aircraft. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  10. Investigation of antibacterial activity of Bacillus spp. isolated from the feces of Giant Panda and characterization of their antimicrobial gene distributions.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Ziyao; Zhou, Xiaoxiao; Zhong, Zhijun; Wang, Chengdong; Zhang, Hemin; Li, Desheng; He, Tingmei; Li, Caiwu; Liu, Xuehan; Yuan, Hui; Ji, Hanli; Luo, Yongjiu; Gu, Wuyang; Fu, Hualin; Peng, Guangneng

    2014-12-01

    Bacillus group is a prevalent community of Giant Panda's intestinal flora, and plays a significant role in the field of biological control of pathogens. To understand the diversity of Bacillus group from the Giant Panda intestine and their functions in maintaining the balance of the intestinal microflora of Giant Panda, this study isolated a significant number of strains of Bacillus spp. from the feces of Giant Panda, compared the inhibitory effects of these strains on three common enteric pathogens, investigated the distributions of six universal antimicrobial genes (ituA, hag, tasA, sfp, spaS and mrsA) found within the Bacillus group by PCR, and analyzed the characterization of antimicrobial gene distributions in these strains using statistical methods. The results suggest that 34 strains of Bacillus spp. were isolated which has not previously been detected at such a scale, these Bacillus strains could be classified into five categories as well as an external strain by 16S rRNA; Most of Bacillus strains are able to inhibit enteric pathogens, and the antimicrobial abilities may be correlated to their categories of 16S rRNA; The detection rates of six common antimicrobial genes are between 20.58 %(7/34) and 79.41 %(27/34), and genes distribute in three clusters in these strains. We found that the antimicrobial abilities of Bacillus strains can be one of the mechanisms by which Giant Panda maintains its intestinal microflora balance, and may be correlated to their phylogeny.

  11. Large-Scale Bioinformatics Analysis of Bacillus Genomes Uncovers Conserved Roles of Natural Products in Bacterial Physiology.

    PubMed

    Grubbs, Kirk J; Bleich, Rachel M; Santa Maria, Kevin C; Allen, Scott E; Farag, Sherif; Shank, Elizabeth A; Bowers, Albert A

    2017-01-01

    Bacteria possess an amazing capacity to synthesize a diverse range of structurally complex, bioactive natural products known as specialized (or secondary) metabolites. Many of these specialized metabolites are used as clinical therapeutics, while others have important ecological roles in microbial communities. The biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that generate these metabolites can be identified in bacterial genome sequences using their highly conserved genetic features. We analyzed an unprecedented 1,566 bacterial genomes from Bacillus species and identified nearly 20,000 BGCs. By comparing these BGCs to one another as well as a curated set of known specialized metabolite BGCs, we discovered that the majority of Bacillus natural products are comprised of a small set of highly conserved, well-distributed, known natural product compounds. Most of these metabolites have important roles influencing the physiology and development of Bacillus species. We identified, in addition to these characterized compounds, many unique, weakly conserved BGCs scattered across the genus that are predicted to encode unknown natural products. Many of these "singleton" BGCs appear to have been acquired via horizontal gene transfer. Based on this large-scale characterization of metabolite production in the Bacilli , we go on to connect the alkylpyrones, natural products that are highly conserved but previously biologically uncharacterized, to a role in Bacillus physiology: inhibiting spore development. IMPORTANCE Bacilli are capable of producing a diverse array of specialized metabolites, many of which have gained attention for their roles as signals that affect bacterial physiology and development. Up to this point, however, the Bacillus genus's metabolic capacity has been underexplored. We undertook a deep genomic analysis of 1,566 Bacillus genomes to understand the full spectrum of metabolites that this bacterial group can make. We discovered that the majority of the specialized

  12. Ebselen and analogs as inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis thioredoxin reductase and bactericidal antibacterials targeting Bacillus species, Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

    PubMed

    Gustafsson, Tomas N; Osman, Harer; Werngren, Jim; Hoffner, Sven; Engman, Lars; Holmgren, Arne

    2016-06-01

    Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax, a disease associated with a very high mortality rate in its invasive forms. We studied a number of ebselen analogs as inhibitors of B. anthracis thioredoxin reductase and their antibacterial activity on Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The most potent compounds in the series gave IC(50) values down to 70 nM for the pure enzyme and minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) down to 0.4 μM (0.12 μg/ml) for B. subtilis, 1.5 μM (0.64 μg/ml) for S. aureus, 2 μM (0.86 μg/ml) for B. cereus and 10 μg/ml for M. tuberculosis. Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were found at 1-1.5 times the MIC, indicating a general, class-dependent, bactericidal mode of action. The combined bacteriological and enzymological data were used to construct a preliminary structure-activity-relationship for the benzoisoselenazol class of compounds. When S. aureus and B. subtilis were exposed to ebselen, we were unable to isolate resistant mutants on both solid and in liquid medium suggesting a high resistance barrier. These results suggest that ebselen and analogs thereof could be developed into a novel antibiotic class, useful for the treatment of infections caused by B. anthracis, S. aureus, M. tuberculosis and other clinically important bacteria. Furthermore, the high barrier against resistance development is encouraging for further drug development. We have characterized the thioredoxin system from B. anthracis as a novel drug target and ebselen and analogs thereof as a potential new class of antibiotics targeting several important human pathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Heme inhibition of ferrisiderophore reductase in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Lodge, J S; Gaines, C G; Arceneaux, J E; Byers, B R

    1982-11-01

    Heme was a noncompetitive inhibitor (apparent K(i) and K'(i) = 0.043 mM) of a ferrisiderophore reductase purified from Bacillus subtilis; protoporphyrin IX had no effect. The cellular level of heme may partly regulate the function of this reductase to yield a controlled flow of iron into metabolism.

  14. Multi-effect of the water-soluble Moringa oleifera lectin against Serratia marcescens and Bacillus sp.: antibacterial, antibiofilm and anti-adhesive properties.

    PubMed

    Moura, M C; Trentin, D S; Napoleão, T H; Primon-Barros, M; Xavier, A S; Carneiro, N P; Paiva, P M G; Macedo, A J; Coelho, L C B B

    2017-10-01

    To evaluate the antibiofilm potential of water-soluble Moringa oleifera seed lectin (WSMoL) on Serratia marcescens and Bacillus sp. WSMoL inhibited biofilm formation by S. marcescens at concentrations lower than 2·6 μg ml -1 and impaired bacterial growth at higher concentrations, avoiding biofilm formation. For Bacillus sp., the lectin inhibited bacterial growth at all concentrations. The antibiofilm action of WSMoL is associated with damage to bacterial cells. WSMoL did not disrupt preformed S. marcescens biofilms but was able to damage cells inside them. On the other hand, the lectin reduced the number of cells in Bacillus sp. biofilm treated with it. WSMoL was able to control biofilm formation when immobilized on glass surface (116 μg cm -2 ), damaging S. marcescens cells and avoiding adherence of Bacillus sp. cells on glass. The Bacillus sp. isolate is member of Bacillus subtilis species complex and closely related to species of the conspecific 'amyloliquefaciens' group. WSMoL prevented biofilm development by S. marcescens and Bacillus sp. and the antibiofilm effect is also observed when the lectin is immobilized on glass. Taking together, our results provide support to the potential use of WSMoL for controlling biofilm formation by bacteria. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  15. Algicidal activity of Bacillus sp. Lzh-5 and its algicidal compounds against Microcystis aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhenghua; Geng, Mengxin; Yang, Hong

    2015-01-01

    A freshwater algicidal bacterial strain, Lzh-5, isolated from Lake Taihu, with strong algicidal activity against Microcystis aeruginosa, was identified as Bacillus sp. based on its phenotypic characteristics and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence. The algicidal mode of Bacillus sp. Lzh-5 was indirect, attacking M. aeruginosa cells by releasing algicidal compounds. Two algicidal compounds (S-5A and S-5B) produced by Bacillus sp. Lzh-5 were purified with ethyl acetate extraction, column chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography and identified as hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione and 3-isopropyl-hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The active algicidal compounds S-5A (hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione) and S-5B (3-isopropyl-hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione) displayed high levels of algicidal activity against M. aeruginosa 9110, with LD50 values of 5.7 and 19.4 μg/ml, respectively. This is the first report of 3-isopropyl-hexahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione as an algicidal compound. Compounds S-5A and S-5B also induced obvious morphological changes in M. aeruginosa 9110. In cocultures of M. aeruginosa 9110 and Bacillus sp. Lzh-5, the cell density of Bacillus sp. Lzh-5 and the concentrations of S-5A and S-5B correlated positively with the algicidal activity. Our results indicate that strain Lzh-5 and its two algicidal compounds are potentially useful for controlling cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu.

  16. Squamocin, an annonaceous acetogenin, enhances naphthalene degradation mediated by Bacillus atrophaeus CN4.

    PubMed

    Parellada, Eduardo A; Igarza, Mercedes; Isacc, Paula; Bardón, Alicia; Ferrero, Marcela; Ameta, Keshav Lalit; Neske, Adriana

    Squamocin belongs to a group of compounds called annonaceous acetogenins. They are secondary products of Annonaceae metabolism and can be isolated from Annona cherimolia seeds. This paper deals with the stimulation of biofilm formation of Bacillus atrophaeus CN4 by employing low squamocin concentrations to increase naphthalene degradation. Bacillus atrophaeus CN4, isolated from contaminated soil, has the ability to degrade naphthalene as the only source of carbon and energy. In the absence of additional carbon sources, the strain removed 69% of the initial concentration of naphthalene (approx. 0.2mmol/l) in the first 12h of incubation. The addition of squamocin in LB medium stimulated Bacillus atrophaeus CN4 biofilm formation and enhanced naphthalene removal. Squamocin (2.5μg/ml) does not affect planktonic growth and therefore, the observed increases are solely due to the stimulation of biofilm formation. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  17. Genetic diversity of Bacillus sp producers of amylase isolated from the soil.

    PubMed

    Xavier, A R E O; Lima, E R; Oliveira, A M E; Cardoso, L; Santos, J; Cangussu, C H C; Leite, L N; Quirino, M C L; Júnior, I G C; Oliveira, D A; Xavier, M A S

    2017-09-27

    The microorganisms are the best source of extracellular enzymes since they allow an economical technology with low-resource consumption compared to animals and plants. The amylases are among the most important enzymes being the genus Bacillus one of the most investigated due to its ability to produce this enzyme. The objective of this study was to isolate and analyze the genetic diversity among bacteria of the genus Bacillus sp producer of amylase originated from the soil. To this end, soil samples were collected and submitted to the condition of extreme temperature. The serial dilution procedure followed by seeding on solid medium containing starch was used for isolation of strains that produce amylase. The microorganisms isolated were subjected to standard morphological methods for presumptive identification of the genus Bacillus. The PCR assay with the universal genetic marker 16S rDNA was used for confirmation of bacterial strain. All the 10 isolates presumptively identified as bacteria amplified a fragment of 370 bp corresponding to the 16S rDNA gene. The enzymatic activity was expressed as an enzymatic index (EI), after 24 h of incubation. All isolate producers of amylase exhibited EI ≥ 2.0. The determination of the genetic profile and the clonal relationship among the isolates were performed by the method of ERIC-PCR polymorphism. The isolates of Bacillus spp were divided into 2 groups (I and II). Through this method, the discriminatory capacity of this analysis of polymorphisms was verified in differing producer strains from those not producing amylase.

  18. Spider mite infestations reduce Bacillus thuringiensis toxin concentration in corn leaves and predators avoid spider mites that have fed on Bacillus thuringiensis corn

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Transgenic crops containing pyramid-stacked genes for Bacillus thuringiensis derived toxins for controlling coleopteran and lepidopteran pests are increasingly common. As part of environmental risk assessments, these crops are evaluated for toxicity against non-target organisms, and for their poten...

  19. Putative Virulence Factor Expression by Clinical and Food Isolates of Bacillus spp. after Growth in Reconstituted Infant Milk Formulae

    PubMed Central

    Rowan, Neil J.; Deans, Karen; Anderson, John G.; Gemmell, Curtis G.; Hunter, Iain S.; Chaithong, Thararat

    2001-01-01

    Forty-seven strains representing 14 different Bacillus species isolated from clinical and food samples were grown in reconstituted infant milk formulae (IMF) and subsequently assessed for adherence to, invasion of, and cytotoxicity toward HEp-2 and Caco-2 cells. Cell-free supernatant fluids from 38 strains (81%) were shown to be cytotoxic, 43 strains (91%) adhered to the test cell lines, and 23 strains (49%) demonstrated various levels of invasion. Of the 21 Bacillus cereus strains examined, 5 (24%) were invasive. A larger percentage of clinically derived Bacillus species (20%) than of similar species tested from the food environment were invasive. Increased invasion occurred after growth of selected Bacillus species in reconstituted IMF containing glucose. While PCR primer studies revealed that many different Bacillus species contained DNA sequences encoding the hemolysin BL (HBL) enterotoxin complex and B. cereus enterotoxin T, not all of these isolates expressed these diarrheagenic genes after growth in reconstituted IMF. Of the 47 Bacillus isolates examined, 3 isolates of B. cereus and 1 isolate of B. subtilis produced the HBL enterotoxin after 18 h of growth in brain heart infusion broth. However, eight isolates belonging to the species B. cereus, B. licheniformis, B. circulans, and B. megaterium were found to produce this enterotoxin after growth in reconstituted IMF when assessed with the B. cereus enterotoxin (diarrheal type) reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) kit. It is concluded that several Bacillus species occurring occasionally in clinical specimens and food samples are of potential medical significance due to the expression of putative virulence factors. PMID:11525980

  20. Lead biotransformation potential of allochthonous Bacillus sp. SKK11 with sesame oil cake in mine soil

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This study was aimed at assessing the potential of allochthonous Bacillus sp. SKK11 and sesame oil cake extract for transformation of Pb in mine soil. The bacteria were isolated from a brackish environment and identified as Bacillus sp. based on partial 16S rDNA sequences. The isolate SKK11 exhibite...

  1. From Genome to Function: Systematic Analysis of the Soil Bacterium Bacillus Subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Crawshaw, Samuel G.; Wipat, Anil

    2001-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis is a sporulating Gram-positive bacterium that lives primarily in the soil and associated water sources. Whilst this bacterium has been studied extensively in the laboratory, relatively few studies have been undertaken to study its activity in natural environments. The publication of the B. subtilis genome sequence and subsequent systematic functional analysis programme have provided an opportunity to develop tools for analysing the role and expression of Bacillus genes in situ. In this paper we discuss analytical approaches that are being developed to relate genes to function in environments such as the rhizosphere. PMID:18628943

  2. Identification of Bacillus spp. from Bikalga, fermented seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa: phenotypic and genotypic characterization.

    PubMed

    Ouoba, L I I; Parkouda, C; Diawara, B; Scotti, C; Varnam, A H

    2008-01-01

    To identify Bacillus spp. responsible of the fermentation of Hibiscus sabdariffa for production of Bikalga, an alkaline fermented food used as a condiment in Burkina Faso. Seventy bacteria were isolated from Bikalga produced in different regions of Burkina Faso and identified by phenotyping and genotyping using PCR amplification of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS-PCR), repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) and DNA sequencing. The isolates were characterized as motile, rod-shaped, endospore forming, catalase positive, Gram-positive bacteria. ITS-PCR allowed typing mainly at species level. Rep-PCR was more discriminative and allowed a typing at ssp. level. The DNA sequencing combined with the Blast search program and fermentation profiles using API 50CHB system allowed an identification of the bacteria as Bacillus subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. cereus, B. pumilus, B. badius, Brevibacillus bortelensis, B. sphaericus and B. fusiformis. B. subtilis were the predominant bacterium (42) followed by B. licheniformis (16). Various species and ssp. of Bacillus are involved in fermentation of H. sabdariffa for production of Bikalga. Selection of starter cultures of Bacillus for controlled production of Bikalga, selection of probiotic bacteria.

  3. Production of mannanase from Bacillus Subtilis LBF-005 and its potential for manno-oligosaccharides production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yopi, Rahmani, Nanik; Jannah, Alifah Mafatikhul; Nugraha, Irfan Pebi; Ramadana, Roni Masri

    2017-11-01

    Endo-β-1, 4-mannanase is the key enzymes for randomly hydrolyzing the β-1,4-linkages within the mannan backbone releasing manno-oligosaccharides (MOS). A marine bacterium of Bacillus subtilis LBF-005 was reported have ability to produce endo-type mannanase. The aims of this research were to compare commercial biomass Locust Bean Gum (LBG) and raw biomass contaning mannan as carbon source for mannanase production from Bacillus subtilis LBF-005, to analyze the optimum condition of mannanase production, and to find out the potential of the mannanase for MOS production. Bacillus subtilis LBF-005 was cultivated in Artificial Sea Water (ASW) medium contain NaCl and various mannan biomass as carbon source for mannanase production. The cells were grown in submerged fermentation. The maximum enzyme activity was obtained with porang potato as a substrate with concentration 1%, pH medium 8, and incubation temperature 50°C with an enzyme activity of 37.7 U/mL. The mainly MOS product released by crude mannanase produced by Bacillus subtilis LBF-005 were mannobiose (M2), mannotriose (M3), mannotetraose (M4), and mannopentaose (M5).

  4. Transmating: conjugative transfer of a new broad host range expression vector to various Bacillus species using a single protocol.

    PubMed

    Heinze, Simon; Kornberger, Petra; Grätz, Christian; Schwarz, Wolfgang H; Zverlov, Vladimir V; Liebl, Wolfgang

    2018-06-08

    The genus Bacillus includes a great variety of species with potential applications in biotechnology. While species such as B. subtilis or B. licheniformis are well-known and used to provide various products at industrial scale, other Bacillus species are less characterized and are not yet used in commercial processes. One reason for this is the fact that genetic manipulation of new isolates is usually complicated with conventional techniques which have to be adapted to each new strain. Even in well-established strains, the available transformation protocols often suffer from low efficiencies. In this paper, we provide a new broad host range E. coli/Bacillus shuttle vector, named pBACOV (Bacillus conjugation vector), that can be efficiently transferred to various Bacillus species using a single protocol. A variant of pBACOV carrying the sfGFP gene was successfully transferred to eight different species from the genus Bacillus and to one Paenibacillus species using triparental conjugation ("transmating"). This was achieved using a single protocol and worked for nine out of eleven tested acceptor species. The transmating procedure was used to test expression of the heterologous reporter gene sfGFP under control of the P aprE -promoter from B. subtilis in several Bacillus species in parallel. Expression of sfGFP was found in eight out of nine transmates. For several of the tested species, this is the first report of a method for genetic modification and heterologous gene expression. The expression level, analyzed by measuring the relative sfGFP-fluorescence normalized to the cell density of the cultures, was highest in B. mojavensis. The new shuttle vector pBACOV can be transferred to many different Bacillus and Paenibacillus species using a simple and efficient transmating protocol. It is a versatile tool facilitating the application of recombinant DNA technology in new as well as established strains, or selection of an ideal host for heterologous gene expression from

  5. The dtd gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens encodes a putative D-tyrosyl-tRNATyr deacylase and is a selectable marker for Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Geraskina, Natalia V; Butov, Ivan A; Yomantas, Yurgis A V; Stoynova, Nataliya V

    2015-02-01

    Genetically engineered microbes are of high practical importance due to their cost-effective production of valuable metabolites and enzymes, and the search for new selectable markers for genetic manipulation is of particular interest. Here, we revealed that the soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens A50 is tolerant to the non-canonical amino acid D-tyrosine (D-Tyr), in contrast to the closely related Bacillus strain B. subtilis 168, which is a widely used "domesticated" laboratory strain. The gene responsible for resistance to D-Tyr was identified. The resistance was associated with the activity of a potential D-tyrosyl-tRNA(Tyr) deacylase. Orthologs of this enzyme are capable of hydrolyzing the ester bond and recycling misacetylated D-aminoacyl-tRNA molecules into free tRNAs and D-amino acids. This gene, yrvI (dtd), is applicable as a convenient, small selectable marker for non-antibiotic resistance selection in experiments aimed at genome editing of D-Tyr-sensitive microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. Endotrophic Calcium, Strontium, and Barium Spores of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus1

    PubMed Central

    Foerster, Harold F.; Foster, J. W.

    1966-01-01

    Foerster, Harold F. (The University of Texas, Austin), and J. W. Foster. Endotrophic calcium, strontium, and barium spores of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus cereus. J. Bacteriol. 91:1333–1345. 1966.—Spores were produced by washed vegetative cells suspended in deionized water supplemented with CaCl2, SrCl2, or BaCl2. Normal, refractile spores were produced in each case; a portion of the barium spores lost refractility and darkened. Thin-section electron micrographs revealed no apparent anatomical differences among the three types of spores. Analyses revealed that the different spore types were enriched specifically in the metal to which they were exposed during sporogenesis. The calcium content of the strontium and the barium spores was very small. From binary equimolar mixtures of the metal salts, endotrophic spores accumulated both metals to nearly the same extent. Viability of the barium spores was considerably less than that of the other two types. Strontium and barium spores were heat-resistant; however, calcium was essential for maximal heat resistance. Significant differences existed in the rates of germination; calcium spores germinated fastest, strontium spores were slower, and barium spores were slowest. Calcium-barium and calcium-strontium spores germinated readily. Endotrophic calcium and strontium spores germinated without the prior heat activation essential for growth spores. Chemical germination of the different metal-type spores with n-dodecylamine took place at the same relative rates as physiological germination. Heat-induced release of dipicolinic acid occurred much faster with barium and strontium spores than with calcium spores. The washed “coat fraction” from disrupted spores contained little of the spore calcium but most of the spore barium. The metal in this fraction was released by dilute acid. The demineralized coats reabsorbed calcium and barium at neutral pH. Images PMID:4956334

  7. Linamarase activities in Bacillus spp. responsible for thermophilic aerobic digestion of agricultural wastes for animal nutrition.

    PubMed

    Ugwuanyi, J Obeta; Harvey, L M; McNeil, B

    2007-01-01

    Thermophilic Bacillus spp. isolated from thermophilic aerobic digestion (TAD) of model agricultural slurry were screened for ability to secret linamarase activity and degrade linamarin, a cyanogenic glycoside toxin abundant in cassava. Screening was performed by both linamarin - picrate assay and by p-nitrophenyl beta-D-glucoside (PNPG) degradation, and results of both assays were related. Linamarase positive isolates were identified as Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus stearothermophilus. Enzyme production was growth related and peak production was reached in 48 h in B. coagulans and 36 h in B. stearothermophilus. B. coagulans produced over 40 times greater activity than B. stearothermophilus. Enzyme productivity in shake flask was not strictly related to screening assay result. Crude enzyme of B. coagulans was optimally active at 75 degrees C while that of B. stearothermophilus was optimally active at 80 degrees C and both had optimum activity at pH 8.0. The thermophilic and neutrophilic- to marginally alkaline activity of the crude enzymes could be very useful in the detoxification and reprocessing of cyanogens containing cassava wastes by TAD for use in animal nutrition.

  8. Screen for agents that induce autolysis in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Lacriola, Christopher J; Falk, Shaun P; Weisblum, Bernard

    2013-01-01

    The growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections underscores the need to discover new antibiotics and to use them with maximum effectiveness. In response to these needs, we describe a screening protocol for the discovery of autolysis-inducing agents that uses two Bacillus subtilis reporter strains, SH-536 and BAU-102. To screen chemical libraries, autolysis-inducing agents were first identified with a BAU-102-based screen and then subdivided with SH-536 into two major groups: those that induce autolysis by their direct action on the cell membrane and those that induce autolysis secondary to inhibition of cell wall synthesis. SH-536 distinguishes between the two groups of autolysis-inducing agents by synthesizing and then releasing β-galactosidase (β-Gal) in late stationary phase at a time that cells have nearly stopped growing and are therefore tolerant of cell wall synthesis inhibitors. Four hits, named compound 2, compound 3, compound 5, and compound 24, obtained previously as inducers of autolysis by screening a 10,080-compound discovery library with BAU-102, were probed with SH-536 and found to release β-Gal, indicating that their mode of action was to permeabilize the B. subtilis cell membrane. The four primary hits inhibited growth in Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus anthracis, with MICs in the 12.5- to 25-μg/ml (20 to 60 μM) range. The four primary hits were further used to probe B. subtilis, and their action was partially characterized with respect to the dependence of induced autolysis on specific autolysins.

  9. Screen for Agents That Induce Autolysis in Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Lacriola, Christopher J.; Falk, Shaun P.

    2013-01-01

    The growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections underscores the need to discover new antibiotics and to use them with maximum effectiveness. In response to these needs, we describe a screening protocol for the discovery of autolysis-inducing agents that uses two Bacillus subtilis reporter strains, SH-536 and BAU-102. To screen chemical libraries, autolysis-inducing agents were first identified with a BAU-102-based screen and then subdivided with SH-536 into two major groups: those that induce autolysis by their direct action on the cell membrane and those that induce autolysis secondary to inhibition of cell wall synthesis. SH-536 distinguishes between the two groups of autolysis-inducing agents by synthesizing and then releasing β-galactosidase (β-Gal) in late stationary phase at a time that cells have nearly stopped growing and are therefore tolerant of cell wall synthesis inhibitors. Four hits, named compound 2, compound 3, compound 5, and compound 24, obtained previously as inducers of autolysis by screening a 10,080-compound discovery library with BAU-102, were probed with SH-536 and found to release β-Gal, indicating that their mode of action was to permeabilize the B. subtilis cell membrane. The four primary hits inhibited growth in Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus anthracis, with MICs in the 12.5- to 25-μg/ml (20 to 60 μM) range. The four primary hits were further used to probe B. subtilis, and their action was partially characterized with respect to the dependence of induced autolysis on specific autolysins. PMID:23089762

  10. Novel Routes for Improving Biocontrol Activity of Bacillus Based Bioinoculants

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Liming; Wu, Hui-Jun; Qiao, Junqing; Gao, Xuewen; Borriss, Rainer

    2015-01-01

    Biocontrol (BC) formulations prepared from plant-growth-promoting bacteria are increasingly applied in sustainable agriculture. Especially inoculants prepared from endospore-forming Bacillus strains have been proven as efficient and environmental-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides due to their long shelf life, which is comparable with that of agrochemicals. However, these formulations of the first generation are sometimes hampered in their action and do not fulfill in each case the expectations of the appliers. In this review we use the well-known plant-associated Bacillus amyloliquefaciens type strain FZB42 as example for the successful application of different techniques offered today by comparative, evolutionary and functional genomics, site-directed mutagenesis and strain construction including marker removal, for paving the way for preparing a novel generation of BC agents. PMID:26696998

  11. Discrimination between Bacillus and Alicyclobacillus isolates in apple juice by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and multivariate analysis.

    PubMed

    Al-Holy, Murad A; Lin, Mengshi; Alhaj, Omar A; Abu-Goush, Mahmoud H

    2015-02-01

    Alicyclobacillus is a causative agent of spoilage in pasteurized and heat-treated apple juice products. Differentiating between this genus and the closely related Bacillus is crucially important. In this study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to identify and discriminate between 4 Alicyclobacillus strains and 4 Bacillus isolates inoculated individually into apple juice. Loading plots over the range of 1350 and 1700 cm(-1) reflected the most distinctive biochemical features of Bacillus and Alicyclobacillus. Multivariate statistical methods (for example, principal component analysis and soft independent modeling of class analogy) were used to analyze the spectral data. Distinctive separation of spectral samples was observed. This study demonstrates that FT-IR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate analysis could serve as a rapid and effective tool for fruit juice industry to differentiate between Bacillus and Alicyclobacillus and to distinguish between species belonging to these 2 genera. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  12. Three phase partitioning and spectroscopic characterization of bioactive constituent from halophilic Bacillus subtilis EMB M15.

    PubMed

    Yadav, Neerja; Gupta, Munishwar Nath; Khare, Sunil K

    2017-10-01

    In the present study, a halophilic Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii (NCBI GenBank accession number KX109607) was isolated from the Sambhar Salt Lake, Rajasthan India. This organism exhibited significance antibacterial and antifungal activity against Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus oligosporus and Penicillium chrysogenum respectively. The bioactive constituent responsible for it was extracted by three phase partitioning and purified by column chromatography. The purified compound was further characterized by FTIR-ATR, NMR and Mass spectrometry. The mass spectra show a molecular ion of m/z 301.14. The compound has very high antimicrobial activity showing 35mm zone of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Environmental and Biofilm-dependent Changes in a Bacillus cereus Secondary Cell Wall Polysaccharide*

    PubMed Central

    Candela, Thomas; Maes, Emmanuel; Garénaux, Estelle; Rombouts, Yoann; Krzewinski, Frédéric; Gohar, Michel; Guérardel, Yann

    2011-01-01

    Bacterial species from the Bacillus genus, including Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis, synthesize secondary cell wall polymers (SCWP) covalently associated to the peptidoglycan through a phospho-diester linkage. Although such components were observed in a wide panel of B. cereus and B. anthracis strains, the effect of culture conditions or of bacterial growth state on their synthesis has never been addressed. Herein we show that B. cereus ATCC 14579 can synthesize not only one, as previously reported, but two structurally unrelated secondary cell wall polymers (SCWP) polysaccharides. The first of these SCWP, →4)[GlcNAc(β1–3)]GlcNAc(β1–6)[Glc(β1-3)][ManNAc(α1–4)]GalNAc(α1–4)ManNAc(β1→, although presenting an original sequence, fits to the already described the canonical sequence motif of SCWP. In contrast, the second polysaccharide was made up by a totally original sequence, →6)Gal(α1–2)(2-R-hydroxyglutar-5-ylamido)Fuc2NAc4N(α1-6)GlcNAc(β1→, which no equivalent has ever been identified in the Bacillus genus. In addition, we established that the syntheses of these two polysaccharides were differently regulated. The first one is constantly expressed at the surface of the bacteria, whereas the expression of the second is tightly regulated by culture conditions and growth states, planktonic, or biofilm. PMID:21784857

  14. Biocontrol of Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria gracilis by eucalypts growth promoters Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Paz, Isabel Cristina Padula; Santin, Rita de Cássia Madail; Guimarães, Alexandre Martins; Rosa, Osmar Paulo Pereira da; Quecine, Maria Carolina; Silva, Michele de Cássia Pereira E; Azevedo, João Lúcio; Matsumura, Aida Terezinha Santos

    2018-05-17

    The clonal Eucalyptus plants are commonly obtained by vegetative propagation under a protected environment. This system improves the Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria spp infection on the young eucalypts plantings, resulting gray mold and cutting rot respectively. Currently, the unique available control method is based on chemicals. As alternative, novel methods to manage plant diseases, endophytic microorganisms could be an interesting alternative. Thus, we aimed to evaluate endophytic Bacillus isolated from eucalypts as a biocontrol agent against Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria gracilis, important fungal pathogens in the greenhouse, using clonal plantlets of E. urograndis. Eight endophytic strains of Bacillus, previously described as eucalyptus growth promoters, were evaluated in vitro and in vivo against Botrytis cinerea and Calonectria gracilis. The diffusible metabolites assay showed the potential of endophytic Bacillus to decrease the growth of both pathogens. Differences in the susceptibility of the pathogens to bacterial volatile metabolites were observed, B. cinerea showed more susceptible than Calonectria gracilis. In vivo assays, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EUCB 10 demonstrated better overall reductions in these diseases. Based on the results obtained from the in vitro and in vivo analyses, we suggest that the endophytic B. amyloliquefaciens strain EUCB 10 constitutes a promising biocontrol agent against B. cinerea and Calonectria gracilis. Furthermore, this is the first reporting of B. amyloliquefaciens previously describe as plant growth promoter and also as potential control agent of B. cinerea and Calonectria gracilis to eucalyptus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Bacillus thuringeniensis: potential for management of emerald ash borer

    Treesearch

    Leah S. Bauer; Donald Dean; Jo Handelsman

    2006-01-01

    The active ingredients of microbial insecticides are live microorganisms pathogenic to certain insects. One such insect pathogen is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium found naturally in soil, on leaves, in places were insects are abundant (such as grain silos and insectaries), and in infected insects.

  16. Bacteriocin-like inhibitor substances produced by Mexican strains of Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Barboza-Corona, J Eleazar; Vázquez-Acosta, Herminia; Bideshi, Dennis K; Salcedo-Hernández, Rubén

    2007-02-01

    Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides synthesized and secreted by bacteria and could potentially be used as natural food preservatives. Here, we report the production of bacteriocin-like inhibitor substances (Bt-BLIS) by five Mexican strains of Bacillus thuringiensis. Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni (LBIT 269), B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (LBIT 287), B. thuringiensis subsp kenyae (LBIT 404), B. thuringiensis subsp. entomocidus (LBIT 420) and B. thuringiensis subsp. tolworthi (LBIT 524) produced proteinaceous Bt-BLIS with high levels of activity against Bacillus cereus and other gram-positive bacteria. Although none was active against the gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Shigella species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the five Bt-BLIS demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Vibrio cholerae, the etiologic agent of cholera. Biochemical and biophysical studies demonstrated that the five Bt-BLIS could be categorized into two groups, those produced by LBIT 269 and 287 (Group A) and LBIT 404, 420, 524 (Group B), based on relative time of peptide synthesis, distinctive bacterial target specificity and stability in a wide range of temperatures and pH. Because of their stability and bactericidal activities against B. cereus and V. cholerae agents of emetic, diarrheal and lethal syndromes in humans, these Bt-BLIS could potentially be used as biodegradable preservatives in the food industry.

  17. Isolation and Evaluation of New Antagonist Bacillus Strains for the Control of Pathogenic and Mycotoxigenic Fungi of Fig Orchards.

    PubMed

    Öztopuz, Özlem; Pekin, Gülseren; Park, Ro Dong; Eltem, Rengin

    2018-05-03

    Bacillus is an antagonistic bacteria that shows high effectiveness against different phytopathogenic fungi and produces various lytic enzymes, such as chitosanase, chitinase, protease, and gluconase. The aim of this study is to determine Bacillus spp. for lytic enzyme production and to evaluate the antifungal effects of the selected strains for biocontrol of mycotoxigenic and phytopathogenic fungi. A total of 92 endospore-forming bacterial isolates from the 24 fig orchard soil samples were screened for chitosanase production, and six best chitosanolytic isolates were selected to determine chitinase, protease, and N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase activity and molecularly identified. The antagonistic activities of six Bacillus strains against Aspergillus niger EGE-K-213, Aspergillus foetidus EGE-K-211, Aspergillus ochraceus EGE-K-217, and Fusarium solani KCTC 6328 were evaluated. Fungal spore germination inhibition and biomass inhibition activities were also measured against A. niger EGE-K-213. The results demonstrated that Bacillus mojavensis EGE-B-5.2i and Bacillus thuringiensis EGE-B-14.1i were more efficient antifungal agents against A. niger EGE-K-213. B. mojavensis EGE-B-5.2i has shown maximum inhibition of the biomass (30.4%), and B. thuringiensis EGE-B-14.1i has shown maximum inhibition of spore germination (33.1%) at 12 h. This is the first study reporting the potential of antagonist Bacillus strains as biocontrol agents against mycotoxigenic fungi of fig orchads.

  18. Diversity among French Bacillus anthracis isolates.

    PubMed

    Fouet, Agnès; Smith, Kimothy L; Keys, Chris; Vaissaire, Josée; Le Doujet, Claudine; Lévy, Martine; Mock, Michèle; Keim, Paul

    2002-12-01

    While outbreaks of animal anthrax zoonoses still regularly occur in France, little is known about the epidemiology links between them. We have used the eight-locus multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis typing technique against a collection of 50 Bacillus anthracis isolates from France. There were eight distinct genotypes belonging to two dissimilar genetic clusters. Regional strain patterns were observed, with the B2 genotypes prevalent in southern France and the A1a genotypes found only in northern France.

  19. Physiological and proteomic analysis of plant growth enhancement by the rhizobacteria Bacillus sp. JS.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji Seong; Lee, Jeong Eun; Nie, Hualin; Lee, Yong Jae; Kim, Sun Tae; Kim, Sun-Hyung

    2018-02-01

    In this study, the effects of the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), Bacillus sp. JS on the growth of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum 'Xanthi') and lettuce (Lactuca sativa 'Crispa'), were evaluated by comparing various growth parameters between plants treated with the bacterium and those exposed to water or nutrient broth as control. In both tobacco and lettuce, fresh weight and length of shoots were increased upon exposure to Bacillus sp. JS. To explain the overall de novo expression of plant proteins by bacterial volatiles, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed on samples from PGPR-treated tobacco plants. Our results showed that chlorophyll a/b binding proteins were significantly up-regulated, and total chlorophyll content was also increased. Our findings indicate the potential benefits of using Bacillus sp. JS as a growth-promoting factor in agricultural practice, and highlight the need for further research to explore these benefits.

  20. Characterization of thermostable alkaline proteases from Bacillus infantis SKS1 isolated from garden soil.

    PubMed

    Saggu, Sandeep Kaur; Mishra, Prakash Chandra

    2017-01-01

    Proteases are one of the largest groups of hydrolytic enzymes constituting about 60% of total worldwide sales of industrial enzymes due to their wide applications in detergent, leather, textile, food and pharmaceutical industry. Microbial proteases have been preferred over animal and plant proteases because of their fundamental features and ease in production. Bacillus infantis SKS1, an alkaline protease producing bacteria has been isolated from garden soil of north India and identified using morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. 16S rDNA sequence amplified using universal primers has 99% sequence identity with corresponding gene sequence of Bacillus infantis strain FM 34 and Bacillus sp. Beige. The bacterial culture and its 16S rDNA gene sequence have been deposited to Microbial Culture Collection (Pune, India) with accession number MCC 3035 and GenBank with accession number KR092197 respectively. The partially purified extract of Bacillus infantis SKS1 was thermostable and active in presence of Mg2+, acetyl acetone and laundry detergents implicating its application in industry. Production of these enzymes using this strain was maximized by optimization of various parameters including temperature, pH, media components and other growth conditions. Our results show that fructose and dextrose serve as the best carbon sources for production of these enzymes, highlighting the use of this strain for enzyme production utilizing relatively inexpensive substrates like beet molasses and corn steep liquor. Additionally, this strain showed maximum production of enzymes at 40°C similar to bacterial species used for commercial production of alkaline proteases. Characterization of alkaline proteases from this strain of Bacillus infantis and optimization of parameters for its production would help in understanding its industrial application and large-scale production.

  1. Characterization of thermostable alkaline proteases from Bacillus infantis SKS1 isolated from garden soil

    PubMed Central

    Saggu, Sandeep Kaur

    2017-01-01

    Proteases are one of the largest groups of hydrolytic enzymes constituting about 60% of total worldwide sales of industrial enzymes due to their wide applications in detergent, leather, textile, food and pharmaceutical industry. Microbial proteases have been preferred over animal and plant proteases because of their fundamental features and ease in production. Bacillus infantis SKS1, an alkaline protease producing bacteria has been isolated from garden soil of north India and identified using morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. 16S rDNA sequence amplified using universal primers has 99% sequence identity with corresponding gene sequence of Bacillus infantis strain FM 34 and Bacillus sp. Beige. The bacterial culture and its 16S rDNA gene sequence have been deposited to Microbial Culture Collection (Pune, India) with accession number MCC 3035 and GenBank with accession number KR092197 respectively. The partially purified extract of Bacillus infantis SKS1 was thermostable and active in presence of Mg2+, acetyl acetone and laundry detergents implicating its application in industry. Production of these enzymes using this strain was maximized by optimization of various parameters including temperature, pH, media components and other growth conditions. Our results show that fructose and dextrose serve as the best carbon sources for production of these enzymes, highlighting the use of this strain for enzyme production utilizing relatively inexpensive substrates like beet molasses and corn steep liquor. Additionally, this strain showed maximum production of enzymes at 40°C similar to bacterial species used for commercial production of alkaline proteases. Characterization of alkaline proteases from this strain of Bacillus infantis and optimization of parameters for its production would help in understanding its industrial application and large-scale production. PMID:29190780

  2. Immobilization of Bacillus sp. in mesoporous activated carbon for degradation of sulphonated phenolic compound in wastewater.

    PubMed

    Sekaran, G; Karthikeyan, S; Gupta, V K; Boopathy, R; Maharaja, P

    2013-03-01

    Xenobiotic compounds are used in considerable quantities in leather industries besides natural organic and inorganic compounds. These compounds resist biological degradation and thus they remain in the treated wastewater in the unaltered molecular configurations. Immobilization of organisms in carrier matrices protects them from shock load application and from the toxicity of chemicals in bulk liquid phase. Mesoporous activated carbon (MAC) has been considered in the present study as the carrier matrix for the immobilization of Bacillus sp. isolated from Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) employed for the treatment of wastewater containing sulphonated phenolic (SP) compounds. Temperature, pH, concentration, particle size and mass of MAC were observed to influence the immobilization behavior of Bacillus sp. The percentage immobilization of Bacillus sp. was the maximum at pH 7.0, temperature 20 °C and at particle size 300 μm. Enthalpy, free energy and entropy of immobilization were -46.9 kJ mol(-1), -1.19 kJ mol(-1) and -161.36 JK(-1)mol(-1) respectively at pH 7.0, temperature 20 °C and particle size 300 μm. Higher values of ΔH(0) indicate the firm bonding of the Bacillus sp. in MAC. Degradation of aqueous sulphonated phenolic compound by Bacillus sp. immobilized in MAC followed pseudo first order rate kinetics with rate constant 1.12 × 10(-2) min(-1). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. [Susceptibility of Aedes aegypti (L.) strains from Havana to a Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis].

    PubMed

    Menéndez Díaz, Zulema; Rodríguez Rodríguez, Jinnay; Gato Armas, René; Companioni Ibañez, Ariamys; Díaz Pérez, Manuel; Bruzón Aguila, Rosa Yirian

    2012-01-01

    the integration of chemical and biological methods is one of the strategies for the vector control, due to the existing environmental problems and the concerns of the community as a result of the synthetic organic insecticide actions. The bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis in liquid formulation has been widely used in the vector control programs in several countries and has shown high efficacy at lab in Cuba. to determine the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti collected in the municipalities of La Habana province to Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis. fifteen Aedes aegypti strains, one from each municipality, were used including larvae and pupas collected in 2010 and one reference strain known as Rockefeller. The aqueous formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bactivec, Labiofam, Cuba) was used. The bioassays complied with the World Health Organization guidelines for use of bacterial larvicides in the public health sector. The larval mortality was read after 24 hours and the results were processed by the statistical system SPSS (11.0) through Probit analysis. the evaluated mosquito strains showed high susceptibility to biolarvicide, there were no significant differences in LC50 values of Ae. aegypti strains, neither in the comparison of these values with those of the reference strain. the presented results indicate that the use of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis continues to be a choice for the control of Aedes aegypti larval populations in La Habana province.

  4. Genomic, Proteomic, and Metabolite Characterization of Gemfibrozil-Degrading Organism Bacillus sp. GeD10.

    PubMed

    Kjeldal, Henrik; Zhou, Nicolette A; Wissenbach, Dirk K; von Bergen, Martin; Gough, Heidi L; Nielsen, Jeppe L

    2016-01-19

    Gemfibrozil is a widely used hypolipidemic and triglyceride lowering drug. Excess of the drug is excreted and discharged into the environment primarily via wastewater treatment plant effluents. Bacillus sp. GeD10, a gemfibrozil-degrader, was previously isolated from activated sludge. It is the first identified bacterium capable of degrading gemfibrozil. Gemfibrozil degradation by Bacillus sp. GeD10 was here studied through genome sequencing, quantitative proteomics and metabolite analysis. From the bacterial proteome of Bacillus sp. GeD10 1974 proteins were quantified, of which 284 proteins were found to be overabundant by more than 2-fold (FDR corrected p-value ≤0.032, fold change (log2) ≥ 1) in response to gemfibrozil exposure. Metabolomic analysis identified two hydroxylated intermediates as well as a glucuronidated hydroxyl-metabolite of gemfibrozil. Overall, gemfibrozil exposure in Bacillus sp. GeD10 increased the abundance of several enzymes potentially involved in gemfibrozil degradation as well as resulted in the production of several gemfibrozil metabolites. The potential catabolic pathway/modification included ring-hydroxylation preparing the substrate for subsequent ring cleavage by a meta-cleaving enzyme. The identified genes may allow for monitoring of potential gemfibrozil-degrading organisms in situ and increase the understanding of microbial processing of trace level contaminants. This study represents the first omics study on a gemfibrozil-degrading bacterium.

  5. Geographical Distribution of Genotypic and Phenotypic Markers Among Bacillus Anthracis Isolates and Related Species by Historical Movement and Horizontal Transfer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-09

    LOPEZ P., ESPINOSA M., PIECHOWSAK M., SHUGAR D., WARREN R.: Uptake and fate of ΦW-14 DNA in competent Bacillus subtilis . J.Bacteriol. 149, 595–605...Among Bacillus anthracis Isolates and Related Species by Historical Movement and Horizontal Transfer J.L. KIELa, J.E. PARKERa, E.A. HOLWITTa, R.P...The geographical distribution of Bacillus anthracis strains and isolates bearing some of the same genetic markers as the Amerithrax Ames isolate was

  6. Assembly and Function of the Bacillus anthracis S-Layer.

    PubMed

    Missiakas, Dominique; Schneewind, Olaf

    2017-09-08

    Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax agent, is a member of the Bacillus cereus sensu lato group, which includes invasive pathogens of mammals or insects as well as nonpathogenic environmental strains. The genes for anthrax pathogenesis are located on two large virulence plasmids. Similar virulence plasmids have been acquired by other B. cereus strains and enable the pathogenesis of anthrax-like diseases. Among the virulence factors of B. anthracis is the S-layer-associated protein BslA, which endows bacilli with invasive attributes for mammalian hosts. BslA surface display and function are dependent on the bacterial S-layer, whose constituents assemble by binding to the secondary cell wall polysaccharide (SCWP) via S-layer homology (SLH) domains. B. anthracis and other pathogenic B. cereus isolates harbor genes for the secretion of S-layer proteins, for S-layer assembly, and for synthesis of the SCWP. We review here recent insights into the assembly and function of the S-layer and the SCWP.

  7. Complete Genome Sequence of the Poly-γ-Glutamate-Synthesizing Bacterium Bacillus subtilis Bs-115.

    PubMed

    Wang, Fengqing; Gong, Lijuan; Zhou, Lihong; Liang, Jinzhong

    2018-04-19

    Bacillus subtilis Bs-115 was isolated from the soil of a corn field in Yutai County, Jinan City, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China, and is characterized by the efficient synthesis of poly-γ-glutamate (γ-PGA), with corn saccharification liquid as the sole energy and carbon source during the process of γ-PGA formation. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Bacillus subtilis Bs-115 and the genes associated with poly-γ-glutamate synthesis. Copyright © 2018 Wang et al.

  8. Genetic and Physiological Studies of Bacillus anthracis Related to Development of an Improved Vaccine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-07-01

    demonstrated that plasmid pLS20 of B. subtilis ( natto ) is capa le of promoting the transfer of pBC16 from B. subtilis to a variety of Bacillus s ecies...anthracis. Hofetver, results of recent experiments demonstrate that pL320, a 34-megadalton plasmid of B. subtilis ( natto ), is capable of promoting the...plasmid in Bacillus subtilis ( natto ).20 IV. Determination of the size of pX02 by restriction analysis-....... 24 V. Transfer of pXO1 by the B

  9. Bioinactivation: Software for modelling dynamic microbial inactivation.

    PubMed

    Garre, Alberto; Fernández, Pablo S; Lindqvist, Roland; Egea, Jose A

    2017-03-01

    This contribution presents the bioinactivation software, which implements functions for the modelling of isothermal and non-isothermal microbial inactivation. This software offers features such as user-friendliness, modelling of dynamic conditions, possibility to choose the fitting algorithm and generation of prediction intervals. The software is offered in two different formats: Bioinactivation core and Bioinactivation SE. Bioinactivation core is a package for the R programming language, which includes features for the generation of predictions and for the fitting of models to inactivation experiments using non-linear regression or a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm (MCMC). The calculations are based on inactivation models common in academia and industry (Bigelow, Peleg, Mafart and Geeraerd). Bioinactivation SE supplies a user-friendly interface to selected functions of Bioinactivation core, namely the model fitting of non-isothermal experiments and the generation of prediction intervals. The capabilities of bioinactivation are presented in this paper through a case study, modelling the non-isothermal inactivation of Bacillus sporothermodurans. This study has provided a full characterization of the response of the bacteria to dynamic temperature conditions, including confidence intervals for the model parameters and a prediction interval of the survivor curve. We conclude that the MCMC algorithm produces a better characterization of the biological uncertainty and variability than non-linear regression. The bioinactivation software can be relevant to the food and pharmaceutical industry, as well as to regulatory agencies, as part of a (quantitative) microbial risk assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Effects of Bacillus fermentation on the protein microstructure and anti-nutritional factors of soybean meal.

    PubMed

    Zheng, L; Li, D; Li, Z-L; Kang, L-N; Jiang, Y-Y; Liu, X-Y; Chi, Y-P; Li, Y-Q; Wang, J-H

    2017-12-01

    This study evaluated the effects of Bacillus fermentation on soybean meal protein (SBMP) microstructure and major anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) in soybean meal (SBM). The Bacillus siamensis isolate JL8 producing high yield of protease at 519·1 U g -1 was selected for the laboratory production of fermented soybean meal (FSBM). After 24 h fermentation, the FSBM showed better properties compared with those of SBM, the ANFs such as glycinin, β-conglycinin and trypsin inhibitor significantly decreased by 86·0, 70·3 and 95·01%, while in vitro digestibility and absorbability increased by 8·7 and 18·9% respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of fermented soybean meal protein showed smaller aggregates and looser network than that of SBMP. Secondary structure examination of proteins revealed fermentation significantly decreased the content of β-sheet structure by 43·2% and increased the random coil structure by 59·9%. It is demonstrated that Bacillus fermentation improved the nutritional quality of SBM through degrading ANFs and changing the microstructure of SBMP. There is limited information about the structural property changes of soybean protein during fermentation. In this study, physicochemical analysis of soybean meal protein showed evidence that the increase in in vitro digestibility and absorbability of fermented soybean meal reflected the decrease in β-conformation and destruction of original structure in soybean meal protein. The results directly gained the understanding of nutritional quality improvement of soybean meal by Bacillus fermentation, and supply the potential use of Bacillus siamensis for fermented soybean meal production. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  11. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a natural bacteria found all over the Earth, has a fairly novel way of getting rid of unwanted insects. Bt forms a protein substance (shown on the right) that is not harmful to humans, birds, fish or other vertebrates. When eaten by insect larvae the protein causes a fatal loss of appetite. For over 25 years agricultural chemical companies have relied heavily upon safe Bt pesticides. New space based research promises to give the insecticide a new dimension in effectiveness and applicability. Researchers from the Consortium for Materials Development in Space along with industrial affiliates such as Abott Labs and Pern State University flew Bt on a Space Shuttle mission in the fall of 1996. Researchers expect that the Shuttle's microgravity environment will reveal new information about the protein that will make it more effective against a wider variety of pests.

  12. Effect of Mono and Di-rhamnolipids on Biofilms Pre-formed by Bacillus subtilis BBK006.

    PubMed

    De Rienzo, Mayri A Díaz; Martin, Peter J

    2016-08-01

    Different microbial inhibition strategies based on the planktonic bacterial physiology have been known to have limited efficacy on the growth of biofilms communities. This problem can be exacerbated by the emergence of increasingly resistant clinical strains. Biosurfactants have merited renewed interest in both clinical and hygienic sectors due to their potential to disperse microbial biofilms. In this work, we explore the aspects of Bacillus subtilis BBK006 biofilms and examine the contribution of biologically derived surface-active agents (rhamnolipids) to the disruption or inhibition of microbial biofilms produced by Bacillus subtilis BBK006. The ability of mono-rhamnolipids (Rha-C10-C10) produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 and the di-rhamnolipids (Rha-Rha-C14-C14) produced by Burkholderia thailandensis E264, and phosphate-buffered saline to disrupt biofilm of Bacillus subtilis BBK006 was evaluated. The biofilm produced by Bacillus subtilis BBK006 was more sensitive to the di-rhamnolipids (0.4 g/L) produced by Burkholderia thailandensis than the mono-rhamnolipids (0.4 g/L) produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027. Rhamnolipids are biologically produced compounds safe for human use. This makes them ideal candidates for use in new generations of bacterial dispersal agents and useful for use as adjuvants for existing microbial suppression or eradication strategies.

  13. Bacillus subtilis as a bioindicator for estimating pentachlorophenol toxicity and concentration.

    PubMed

    Ayude, M A; Okada, E; González, J F; Haure, P M; Murialdo, S E

    2009-05-01

    Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and its sodium salt (Na-PCP) are extremely toxic chemicals responsible for important soil and groundwater pollution, mainly caused by wastes from wood-treatment plants, because chlorinated phenols are widely used as wood preservatives. The methods most commonly used for routine analysis of pesticides such as PCP and Na-PCP are high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). A variety of rapid biological screening tests using marine organisms, bioluminescent bacteria, and enzymes have also been reported. In this study, rapid biological screening analysis using Bacillus subtilis was developed, to assess the biodegradation of PCP and its by-products in liquid samples. An empirical model is proposed for spectrophotometric analysis of Na-PCP concentration after growth of Bacillus subtilis.

  14. Chlorxanthomycin, a Fluorescent, Chlorinated, Pentacyclic Pyrene from a Bacillus sp.†

    PubMed Central

    Magyarosy, Andrew; Ho, Jonathan Z.; Rapoport, Henry; Dawson, Scott; Hancock, Joe; Keasling, Jay D.

    2002-01-01

    A gram-positive Bacillus sp. that fluoresces yellow under long-wavelength UV light on several common culture media was isolated from soil samples. On the basis of carbon source utilization studies, fatty acid methyl ester analysis, and 16S ribosomal DNA analysis, this bacterium was most similar to Bacillus megaterium. Chemical extraction yielded a yellow-orange fluorescent pigment, which was characterized by X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The fluorescent compound, chlorxanthomycin, is a pentacyclic, chlorinated molecule with the molecular formula C22H15O6Cl and a molecular weight of 409.7865. Chlorxanthomycin appears to be located in the cytoplasm, does not diffuse out of the cells into the culture medium, and has selective antibiotic activity. PMID:12147512

  15. Dynamic sporulation gene co-expression networks for Bacillus subtilis 168 and the food-borne isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens: a transcriptomic model

    PubMed Central

    Omony, Jimmy; de Jong, Anne; Krawczyk, Antonina O.; Eijlander, Robyn T.; Kuipers, Oscar P.

    2018-01-01

    Sporulation is a survival strategy, adapted by bacterial cells in response to harsh environmental adversities. The adaptation potential differs between strains and the variations may arise from differences in gene regulation. Gene networks are a valuable way of studying such regulation processes and establishing associations between genes. We reconstructed and compared sporulation gene co-expression networks (GCNs) of the model laboratory strain Bacillus subtilis 168 and the food-borne industrial isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Transcriptome data obtained from samples of six stages during the sporulation process were used for network inference. Subsequently, a gene set enrichment analysis was performed to compare the reconstructed GCNs of B. subtilis 168 and B. amyloliquefaciens with respect to biological functions, which showed the enriched modules with coherent functional groups associated with sporulation. On basis of the GCNs and time-evolution of differentially expressed genes, we could identify novel candidate genes strongly associated with sporulation in B. subtilis 168 and B. amyloliquefaciens. The GCNs offer a framework for exploring transcription factors, their targets, and co-expressed genes during sporulation. Furthermore, the methodology described here can conveniently be applied to other species or biological processes. PMID:29424683

  16. Dynamic sporulation gene co-expression networks for Bacillus subtilis 168 and the food-borne isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens: a transcriptomic model.

    PubMed

    Omony, Jimmy; de Jong, Anne; Krawczyk, Antonina O; Eijlander, Robyn T; Kuipers, Oscar P

    2018-02-09

    Sporulation is a survival strategy, adapted by bacterial cells in response to harsh environmental adversities. The adaptation potential differs between strains and the variations may arise from differences in gene regulation. Gene networks are a valuable way of studying such regulation processes and establishing associations between genes. We reconstructed and compared sporulation gene co-expression networks (GCNs) of the model laboratory strain Bacillus subtilis 168 and the food-borne industrial isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Transcriptome data obtained from samples of six stages during the sporulation process were used for network inference. Subsequently, a gene set enrichment analysis was performed to compare the reconstructed GCNs of B. subtilis 168 and B. amyloliquefaciens with respect to biological functions, which showed the enriched modules with coherent functional groups associated with sporulation. On basis of the GCNs and time-evolution of differentially expressed genes, we could identify novel candidate genes strongly associated with sporulation in B. subtilis 168 and B. amyloliquefaciens. The GCNs offer a framework for exploring transcription factors, their targets, and co-expressed genes during sporulation. Furthermore, the methodology described here can conveniently be applied to other species or biological processes.

  17. RNA-seq analysis of antibiotic-producing Bacillus subtilis SC-8 in response to signal peptide PapR of Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Yeo, In-Cheol; Lee, Nam Keun; Yang, Byung Wook; Hahm, Young Tae

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis SC-8 produces an antibiotic that has narrow antagonistic activity against bacteria in the Bacillus cereus group. In B. cereus group bacteria, peptide-activating PlcR (PapR) plays a significant role in regulating the transcription of virulence factors. When B. subtilis SC-8 and B. cereus are co-cultured, PapR is assumed to stimulate antibiotic production by B. subtilis SC-8. To better understand the effect of PapR on this interspecies interaction, the global transcriptome profile of B. subtilis SC-8 was analyzed in the presence of PapR. Significant changes were detected in 12.8 % of the total transcripts. Genes related to amino acid transport and metabolism (16.5 %) and transcription (15 %) were mainly upregulated, whereas genes involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism (12.7 %) were markedly downregulated. The expression of genes related to transcription, including several transcriptional regulators and proteins involved in tRNA biosynthesis, was increased. The expression levels of genes associated with several transport systems, such as antibiotic, cobalt, and iron complex transporters, was also significantly altered. Among the downregulated genes were transcripts associated with spore formation, the subtilosin A gene cluster, and nitrogen metabolism.

  18. Decolourization of 4-Chloro-2-Nitrophenol by a Soil Bacterium, Bacillus subtilis RKJ 700

    PubMed Central

    Arora, Pankaj Kumar

    2012-01-01

    A 4-Chloro-2-nitrophenol (4C2NP) decolourizing strain RKJ 700 was isolated from soil collected from a pesticide contaminated site of India and identified as Bacillus subtilis on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Bacillus subtilis RKJ 700 decolourized 4C2NP up to concentration of 1.5 mM in the presence of additional carbon source. The degradation pathway of 4C2NP was studied and 4-chloro-2-aminophenol, 4-chloro-2-acetaminophenol and 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole (5C2MBZ) were identified as metabolites by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Resting cell studies showed that Bacillus subtilis RKJ 700 depleted 4C2NP completely with stoichiometric formation of 5C2MBZ. This is the first report of (i) the degradation of 4C2NP at high concentration (1.5 mM) and, (ii) the formation of 5C2MBZ by a soil bacterium. PMID:23251673

  19. Decolourization of 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol by a soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis RKJ 700.

    PubMed

    Arora, Pankaj Kumar

    2012-01-01

    A 4-Chloro-2-nitrophenol (4C2NP) decolourizing strain RKJ 700 was isolated from soil collected from a pesticide contaminated site of India and identified as Bacillus subtilis on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Bacillus subtilis RKJ 700 decolourized 4C2NP up to concentration of 1.5 mM in the presence of additional carbon source. The degradation pathway of 4C2NP was studied and 4-chloro-2-aminophenol, 4-chloro-2-acetaminophenol and 5-chloro-2-methylbenzoxazole (5C2MBZ) were identified as metabolites by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Resting cell studies showed that Bacillus subtilis RKJ 700 depleted 4C2NP completely with stoichiometric formation of 5C2MBZ. This is the first report of (i) the degradation of 4C2NP at high concentration (1.5 mM) and, (ii) the formation of 5C2MBZ by a soil bacterium.

  20. Use of Tetra-ammonium Tetrakis(4-Sulphonato)Phenyl Porphyrin for Pseudomonas and Bacillus Cell Imaging

    PubMed Central

    Sujatha, V.; Sridhar, Bharat; Krishnamurthy, Srinath; Vinod Kumar, K. S.; Senthil Kumar, K.; Gautam, Pennathur

    2010-01-01

    The use of tetraammonium tetrakis(4-sulphonato)phenyl porphyrin (TPPS), a water-soluble anionic compound, as a stain to analyse bacterial cells using fluorescent microscopy was investigated. TPPS was effectively used to analyse two different bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus. The variation in brightness with varying concentrations of TPPS was studied. The patterns of variations for these bacteria were found to be the same, but with consistently higher brightness for Bacillus cereus. PMID:20811478

  1. Bacillus nealsonii sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly facility, whose spores are gamma-radiation resistant

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Kempf, Michael; Chen, Fei; Satomi, Masataka; Nicholson, Wayne; Kern, Roger

    2003-01-01

    One of the spore-formers isolated from a spacecraft-assembly facility, belonging to the genus Bacillus, is described on the basis of phenotypic characterization, 16S rDNA sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization studies. It is a Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped eubacterium that produces endospores. The spores of this novel bacterial species exhibited resistance to UV, gamma-radiation, H2O2 and desiccation. The 18S rDNA sequence analysis revealed a clear affiliation between this strain and members of the low G+C Firmicutes. High 16S rDNA sequence similarity values were found with members of the genus Bacillus and this was supported by fatty acid profiles. The 16S rDNA sequence similarity between strain FO-92T and Bacillus benzoevorans DSM 5391T was very high. However, molecular characterizations employing small-subunit 16S rDNA sequences were at the limits of resolution for the differentiation of species in this genus, but DNA-DNA hybridization data support the proposal of FO-92T as Bacillus nealsonii sp. nov. (type strain is FO-92T =ATCC BAAM-519T =DSM 15077T).

  2. Aerobic TCE degradation by encapsulated toluene-oxidizing bacteria, Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Kim, Seungjin; Bae, Wookeun; Hwang, Jungmin; Park, Jaewoo

    2010-01-01

    The degradation rates of toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE) by Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus spp. that were encapsulated in polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymers were evaluated in comparison with the results of exposure to suspended cultures. PEG monomers were polymerized together with TCE-degrading microorganisms, such that the cells were encapsulated in and protected by the matrices of the PEG polymers. TCE concentrations were varied from 0.1 to 1.5 mg/L. In the suspended cultures of P. putida, the TCE removal rate decreased as the initial TCE concentration increased, revealing TCE toxicity or a limitation of reducing power, or both. When the cells were encapsulated, an initial lag period of about 10-20 h was observed for toluene degradation. Once acclimated, the encapsulated P. putida cultures were more tolerant to TCE at an experimental range of 0.6-1.0 mg/L and gave higher transfer efficiencies (mass TCE transformed/mass toluene utilized). When the TCE concentration was low (e.g., 0.1 mg/L) the removal of TCE per unit mass of cells (specific removal) was significantly lower, probably due to a diffusion limitation into the PEG pellet. Encapsulated Bacillus spp. were able to degrade TCE cometabolically. The encapsulated Bacillus spp. gave significantly higher values than did P. putida in the specific removal and the transfer efficiency, particularly at relatively high TCE concentration of approximately 1.0±0.5 mg/L. The transfer efficiency by encapsulated Bacillus spp. in this study was 0.27 mgTCE/mgToluene, which was one to two orders of magnitude greater than the reported values.

  3. Interactions of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crops with spiders (Araneae)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Genetically modified crops expressing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have dramatically increased in acreage since their introduction in the mid-1990’s. Although the insecticidal mechanisms of Bt target specific pests, concerns persist regarding direct and indirect effects on...

  4. Continuous Cultivation for Apparent Optimization of Defined Media for Cellulomonas sp. and Bacillus cereus

    PubMed Central

    Summers, R. J.; Boudreaux, D. P.; Srinivasan, V. R.

    1979-01-01

    Steady-state continuous culture was used to optimize lean chemically defined media for a Cellulomonas sp. and Bacillus cereus strain T. Both organisms were extremely sensitive to variations in trace-metal concentrations. However, medium optimization by this technique proved rapid, and multifactor screening was easily conducted by using a minimum of instrumentation. The optimized media supported critical dilution rates of 0.571 and 0.467 h−1 for Cellulomonas and Bacillus, respectively. These values approximated maximum growth rate values observed in batch culture. PMID:16345417

  5. Effects of culture conditions on the size, morphology and wet density of spores of Bacillus cereus 569 and Bacillus megaterium QM B1551.

    PubMed

    Xu Zhou, K; Wisnivesky, F; Wilson, D I; Christie, G

    2017-07-01

    The influence of variable culture conditions on the size and wet density of spores of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus megaterium were examined in this work. Culture temperature and initial pH was shown to have a significant impact on the size of both species, with increasingly alkaline culture media and elevated culture temperatures resulting in spores that were, on average, up to 25% reduced in volume. Increasing concentrations of inorganic salts in sporulation media exerted differing effects on each species; whereas a fivefold increase in the concentration of all salts resulted in only minor differences to the dimensions of B. cereus spores, B. megaterium spores became more elongated, displaying an average increase in volume of almost 30%. Similarly, as the spore elongated to yield aspect ratios larger than 1·4, their shape changed from typical prolate spheroids to cylinders with hemispherical ends. In contrast with previous studies, culture conditions employed in this study exerted no discernible impact on the wet density of B. cereus or B. megaterium spores. Bacterial spores of the genera Bacillus and Clostridium represent nature's most durable cells in terms of their extreme resistance to a variety of deleterious environments. As a result, they are of concern in the food processing, healthcare and other sectors, and are of increasing biotechnological interest. Improved understanding of variance in spore size, morphology and density may aid the development of certain spore-associated applications (e.g. spore surface display) while contributing to active areas of research such as spore adhesion and resistance to heat. © 2017 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for Applied Microbiology.

  6. Occurrence of Natural Bacillus thuringiensis Contaminants and Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis-Based Insecticides on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

    PubMed Central

    Frederiksen, Kristine; Rosenquist, Hanne; Jørgensen, Kirsten; Wilcks, Andrea

    2006-01-01

    A total of 128 Bacillus cereus-like strains isolated from fresh fruits and vegetables for sale in retail shops in Denmark were characterized. Of these strains, 39% (50/128) were classified as Bacillus thuringiensis on the basis of their content of cry genes determined by PCR or crystal proteins visualized by microscopy. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and plasmid profiling indicated that 23 of the 50 B. thuringiensis strains were of the same subtype as B. thuringiensis strains used as commercial bioinsecticides. Fourteen isolates were indistinguishable from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 present in the products Dipel, Biobit, and Foray, and nine isolates grouped with B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai present in Turex. The commercial strains were primarily isolated from samples of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. A multiplex PCR method was developed to simultaneously detect all three genes in the enterotoxin hemolysin BL (HBL) and the nonhemolytic enterotoxin (NHE), respectively. This revealed that the frequency of these enterotoxin genes was higher among the strains indistinguishable from the commercial strains than among the other B. thuringiensis and B. cereus-like strains isolated from fruits and vegetables. The same was seen for a third enterotoxin, CytK. In conclusion, the present study strongly indicates that residues of B. thuringiensis-based insecticides can be found on fresh fruits and vegetables and that these are potentially enterotoxigenic. PMID:16672488

  7. Bacillus caseinilyticus sp. nov., an alkali- and thermotolerant bacterium isolated from a soda lake.

    PubMed

    Vishnuvardhan Reddy, Sultanpuram; Thirumala, Mothe; Farooq, Mohammed

    2015-08-01

    A novel Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming and proteolytic bacterial strain, SPT, was isolated from Lonar soda lake, in India. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis it was identified as belonging to the class Firmibacteria and was most closely related to Bacillus cellulosilyticus DSM 2522T (96.7%) and other members of the genus Bacillus ( < 95.9%). Strain SPT was catalase- and oxidase-positive. The cell-wall peptidoglycan of strain SPT contained meso-diaminopimelic acid. Polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, three phospholipids, two aminolipids and two unknown lipids. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. Anteiso-C15 : 0 (26.8%) was the predominant fatty acid and significant proportions (>5%) of iso-C15 : 0 (20.9%), C16 : 1ω7c alcohol (6.3%), iso-C16 : 0 (6.3%) and anteiso-C17 : 0 (5.3  %) were also detected in strain SPT. The DNA G+C content of strain SPT was 38.9 mol%. The results of phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and biochemical tests allowed a clear differentiation of strain SPT from all other members of the genus Bacillus. Strain SPT represents a novel member of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacilluscaseinilyticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SPT ( = MCC 2612T = JCM 30246T).

  8. Diversity in the antibacterial potential of probiotic cultures Bacillus licheniformis MCC2514 and Bacillus licheniformis MCC2512.

    PubMed

    Shobharani, Papanna; Padmaja, Radhakrishnan J; Halami, Prakash M

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristic diversity and stability of antimicrobial compounds produced by two probiotic strains of Bacillus licheniformis (MCC2514 and MCC2512). Antimicrobial compounds from the two strains notably varied, related to stability and potency. The inhibitory spectrum of B. licheniformis MCC2512 was higher than MCC2514, but, related to the effect on Micrococcus luteus ATCC9341, MCC2514 (LD50 = 450 AU ml(-1)) was more potent than MCC2512 (LD50 = 750 AU ml(-1)). The compounds were thermo-resistant and stable at a wide range of pH and exhibited considerable resistance to digestive enzymes and bile salts (anionic biological detergents), contributing to their appropriate application in various food systems. The isolate B. licheniformis MCC2512 gave a positive response to Bacillus subtilis-based biosensors BSF2470 and BS168.BS2, confirming the mode of action on the cell wall and subtilin-type, respectively. For B. licheniformis MCC2514, the mode of action was characterized by constructing B. subtilis reporters that interfered in five major biosynthetic pathways, i.e., biosynthesis of DNA, RNA, protein, the cell wall and fatty acids. B. licheniformis MCC2514 responded to the yvgS reporter, indicating it as an RNA synthesis inhibitor. Overall, the investigation reveals variability of the antimicrobial compounds from B. licheniformis of different origins and for their possible application as biopreservative agents. Copyright © 2015 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  9. Genetic and Physiological Studies of Bacillus Anthracis Related to Development of an Improved Vaccine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-07-01

    charartorization of the conjugative pl&a.dd, PLS2O, of Baci~llu sbtllis ( natto ) amd its ability to tranisfer pla&iuids v" iitrains of B. inthraci~s, B...2-r-ich atms;hwre. A smll amount of effort wa spent on further’ characterization of the Bacillus subtilis ( natto ) fertility plasmid. pLS2I, which...previously cured of pX02. All transcipients that inherited the pXO2::Tn9l7 derivatives exhibited the donor phenotype. The 64.2-kb Bacillus subtilis ( natto

  10. Draft genome of bagasse-degrading bacteria Bacillus aryabhattai GZ03 from deep sea water.

    PubMed

    Wen, Jian; Ren, Chong; Huang, Nan; Liu, Yang; Zeng, Runying

    2015-02-01

    Bacillus aryabhattai GZ03 was isolated from deep sea water of the South China Sea, which can produce glucose and fructose by degrading bagasse at 25 °C. Here we report the draft genome sequence of Bacillus aryabhattai GZ03. The data obtained revealed 37 contigs with genome size of 5,105,129 bp and G+C content of 38.09%. The draft genome of B. aryabhattai GZ03 may provide insights into the mechanism of microbial carbohydrate and lignocellulosic material degradation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparative Genomics of Bacillus species and its Relevance in Industrial Microbiology.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Archana; Satyanarayana, T

    2013-01-01

    With the advent of high throughput sequencing platforms and relevant analytical tools, the rate of microbial genome sequencing has accelerated which has in turn led to better understanding of microbial molecular biology and genetics. The complete genome sequences of important industrial organisms provide opportunities for human health, industry, and the environment. Bacillus species are the dominant workhorses in industrial fermentations. Today, genome sequences of several Bacillus species are available, and comparative genomics of this genus helps in understanding their physiology, biochemistry, and genetics. The genomes of these bacterial species are the sources of many industrially important enzymes and antibiotics and, therefore, provide an opportunity to tailor enzymes with desired properties to suit a wide range of applications. A comparative account of strengths and weaknesses of the different sequencing platforms are also highlighted in the review.

  12. Mercury-resistance and mercuric reductase activity in Chromobacterium, Erwinia, and Bacillus species

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Trevors, J.T.

    1987-06-01

    Mercury resistant bacteria have been the most extensively studied of all the metal-tolerant bacteria. Mercury resistance is usually mediated by two distinctly different enzymes encoded by plasmids. Mercuric reductase reduces Hg/sup 2 +/ to metallic mercury (Hg/sup 0/). Organomercurial lyases have a molecular weight of 20,000 to 40,000, are composed of 1 or 2 subunits and require the presence of thiol. Plasmic-encoded Hg/sup 2 +/ resistance and mercuric reductase activity have not been detected in many species of bacteria. A Chromobacterium, Erwinia and Bacillus species isolated from environmental samples were capable of growth in the presence of 50 ..mu..M HgCl/submore » 2/. Cell-free extracts of the 3 organisms exhibited mercuric reductase activity that oxidized NADPH in the presence of HgCl/sub 2/. Negligible oxidation of NADPH was observed in the absence of HgCl/sub 2/. The Chromobacterium sp. did not contain any plasmid DNA. This would suggest that Hg/sup 2 +/ resistance was carried on the chromosome in Chromobacterium. A single 3 Mdal plasmid in the Bacillus sp. was refractory to curing. The Erwinia sp. contained 3 plasmids which were also refractory to curing. The location of the resistance genes is unknown in the Bacillus and Erwinia isolates.« less

  13. Severe hepatotoxicity following ingestion of Herbalife nutritional supplements contaminated with Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Stickel, Felix; Droz, Sara; Patsenker, Eleonora; Bögli-Stuber, Katja; Aebi, Beat; Leib, Stephen L

    2009-01-01

    Nutritional supplements are widely used. Recently, liver injury after consumption of Herbalife preparations was reported but the underlying pathogenesis remained cryptic. Two patients presented with cholestatic hepatitis and pruritus, and cirrhosis, respectively. Viral, alcoholic, metabolic, autoimmune, neoplastic, vascular liver diseases and synthetic drugs as the precipitating causes of liver injury were excluded. However, both patients reported long-term consumption of Herbalife products. All Herbalife products were tested for contamination with drugs, pesticides, heavy metals, and softeners, and examined for microbial contamination according to standard laboratory procedures. Bacteria isolated from the samples were identified as Bacillus subtilis by sequencing the 16S rRNA and gyrB genes. Causality between consumption of Herbalife products and disease according to CIOMS was scored "probable" in both cases. Histology showed cholestatic and lobular/portal hepatitis with cirrhosis in one patient, and biliary fibrosis with ductopenia in the other. No contamination with chemicals or heavy metals was detected, and immunological testing showed no drug hypersensitivity. However, samples of Herbalife products ingested by both patients showed growth of Bacillus subtilis of which culture supernatants showed dose- and time-dependent hepatotoxicity. Two novel incidents of severe hepatic injury following intake of Herbalife products contaminated with Bacillus subtilis emphasize its potential hepatotoxicity.

  14. Field trials with tank mixtures of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis and Bacillus sphaericus formulations against Culex pipiens larvae in septic tanks in Antalya, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Cetin, Huseyin; Dechant, Peter; Yanikoglu, Atila

    2007-06-01

    Efficacy of tank mixtures of commercial Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) and Bacillus sphaericus (Bs) water-dispersable granule (WDG) formulations was evaluated in septic tanks, against Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae. VectoLex WDG (Bs) + VectoBac WDG (Bti) were evaluated at various ratios from 488 g/ha VectoLex + 250 g/ha VectoBac up to 3,000 g/ha of each. All applications and ratios delivering VectoLex WDG at a rate equal to or greater than 988 g/ha provided more than 90% control for 28 days after treatment. The lowest dose provided this level of control for at least 7 days after treatment, with greater than 80% control after 2 wk. These results suggest that a retreatment interval of 2 wk is recommended with the lowest dose and retreatment intervals of 4 or more wk are recommended with the doses equal to or higher than 988 g/ha VectoLex + 250 g/ha VectoBac.

  15. Partial purification and properties of a laundry detergent compatible alkaline protease from a newly isolated Bacillus species Y.

    PubMed

    Mala, M; Srividya, S

    2010-09-01

    Alkaline protease production by a newly isolated Bacillus species from laundry soil was studied for detergent biocompatibility. From its morphological and nucleotide sequence (about 1.5 kb) of its 16S rDNA it was identified as Bacillus species with similarity to Bacillus species Y (Gen Bank entry: ABO 55095), and close homology with Bacillus cohnii YN-2000 (Gen Bank entry: ABO23412). Partial purification of the enzyme by ammonium sulfate (50-70% saturation) yielded 8-fold purity. Casein zymography and Sodium dodecylsulphate-Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the partially purified enzyme revealed two isozymes of molecular sizes approximately 66 kDa and 18 kDa, respectively. The enzyme was most active at pH 12 and 50°C. At pH 12 the enzyme was stable for 5 h and retained 60% activity. The enzyme retained 44% activity at 50°C up to 2 h. The protease showed good hydrolysis specificity with different substrates tested. The presence of Mn(2+), Co(2+) and ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) showed profound increase in protease activity. The protease of Bacillus species Y showed excellent stability and compatibility with three locally available detergents (Kite, Tide and Aerial) up to 3 h retaining almost 70-80% activity and 10-20% activity at room temperature (30°C) and 50°C, respectively, indicating the potential role of this enzyme for detergent application.

  16. Bacillus vanillea sp. nov., Isolated from the Cured Vanilla Bean.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yong-gan; Gu, Feng-lin; Li, Ji-hua; Xu, Fei; He, Shu-zhen; Fang, Yi-ming

    2015-02-01

    A Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain XY18(T), was isolated from a cured vanilla bean in Hainan province, China. Cells were rod-shaped, endospore producing, and peritrichous flagella. Strain XY18(T) grew at salinities of 0-8 % (w/v) NaCl (optimally 1-4 %), pH 4.0-8.0 (optimally 5.0-7.0 %) and temperature range 20-45 °C (optimally 28-35 °C). The predominant menaquinone was MK-7. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, and iso-C17:0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain XY18(T) was a member of the genus Bacillus, and closely related to B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) and B. siamensis PD-A10(T), with 99.1 and 99.2 % sequence similarity, respectively. However, the DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain XY18(T) and B. amyloliquefaciens NBRC 15535(T) was 35.7 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain XY18(T) was 46.4 mol%, significantly differed from B. siamensis PD-A10(T) (41.4 %), which was higher than the range of 4 % indicative of species. On the basis of polyphasic taxonomic study, including phenotypic features, chemotaxonomy, and phylogenetic analyses, strain XY18(T) represents a novel species within the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus vanillea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XY18(T) (=CGMCC 8629 = NCCB 100507).

  17. Identification of Bacillus Probiotics Isolated from Soil Rhizosphere Using 16S rRNA, recA, rpoB Gene Sequencing and RAPD-PCR.

    PubMed

    Mohkam, Milad; Nezafat, Navid; Berenjian, Aydin; Mobasher, Mohammad Ali; Ghasemi, Younes

    2016-03-01

    Some Bacillus species, especially Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus groups, have highly similar 16S rRNA gene sequences, which are hard to identify based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. To conquer this drawback, rpoB, recA sequence analysis along with randomly amplified polymorphic (RAPD) fingerprinting was examined as an alternative method for differentiating Bacillus species. The 16S rRNA, rpoB and recA genes were amplified via a polymerase chain reaction using their specific primers. The resulted PCR amplicons were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was employed by MEGA 6 software. Identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing was underpinned by rpoB and recA gene sequencing as well as RAPD-PCR technique. Subsequently, concatenation and phylogenetic analysis showed that extent of diversity and similarity were better obtained by rpoB and recA primers, which are also reinforced by RAPD-PCR methods. However, in one case, these approaches failed to identify one isolate, which in combination with the phenotypical method offsets this issue. Overall, RAPD fingerprinting, rpoB and recA along with concatenated genes sequence analysis discriminated closely related Bacillus species, which highlights the significance of the multigenic method in more precisely distinguishing Bacillus strains. This research emphasizes the benefit of RAPD fingerprinting, rpoB and recA sequence analysis superior to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for suitable and effective identification of Bacillus species as recommended for probiotic products.

  18. Transponson Tn916 Mutagenesis in Bacillus anthracis,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-11-10

    Tngla, is described. Tng1a was transferred from Streptococcus 1aJaji strain DS16C1 to f. a VNR-1 by conjugation in a standard filter mating procedure...transposon, Tn916, mutagenesis, Bacillus, anthracis, subtilis. , Streptococcus , faecalis, aro 2.AUSrN ACT (Cautious no reverse efho if nece.at7r sd ideratfy...transferred from Streptococcus : faecalis strain DS16CI to B. anthracis VNR-1 by conjugation in a standard filter mating procedure. Tetracycline

  19. Use of Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation products in bread-making to prevent Bacillus subtilis ropy spoilage.

    PubMed

    Valerio, Francesca; De Bellis, Palmira; Lonigro, Stella L; Visconti, Angelo; Lavermicocca, Paola

    2008-03-20

    Four fermentation products (FPs) of the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum ITM21B were screened for their anti-Bacillus activity in vitro and in bread-making trials. Results of the storage tests performed with loaves prepared with an FP or calcium propionate demonstrated that after 3 days at 30 degrees C, gross spoilage was evident in only the control loaves, which contained Bacillus subtilis at numbers of about 10(9) cfu/g. The highest inhibitory activity was shown by DM-FP obtained by growing L. plantarum in a defined medium (DM). Significantly, this medium contained an amino acceptor of the aminoacid transamination, namely alpha-ketoglutaric acid, and an aminoacid pool. With loaves prepared using the DM-acid mixture which simulated the DM-FP composition, the same reduction of ropy spoilage as with DM-FP was obtained after 3 days, while the efficacy of the mixture decreased after 7 days. This result suggests the potential involvement of some unknown metabolites in the inhibitory activity of DM-FP. In baked products made with flour based media (M1-FP, M2-FP, M3-FP), no ropy symptoms were noticeable after 3 days storage although a considerable Bacillus count was detected. DM-FP was as effective as calcium propionate (0.3% w/w, based on flour mass) in prolonging the Bacillus free-shelf life of yeast-leavened bread for 7 days.

  20. Mini review: Recombinant production of tailored bio-pharmaceuticals in different Bacillus strains and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Lakowitz, Antonia; Godard, Thibault; Biedendieck, Rebekka; Krull, Rainer

    2018-05-01

    Bio-pharmaceuticals like antibodies, hormones and growth factors represent about one-fifth of commercial pharmaceuticals. Host candidates of growing interest for recombinant production of these proteins are strains of the genus Bacillus, long being established for biotechnological production of homologous and heterologous proteins. Bacillus strains benefit from development of efficient expression systems in the last decades and emerge as major industrial workhorses for recombinant proteins due to easy cultivation, non-pathogenicity and their ability to secrete recombinant proteins directly into extracellular medium allowing cost-effective downstream processing. Their broad product portfolio of pharmaceutically relevant recombinant proteins described in research include antibody fragments, growth factors, interferons and interleukins, insulin, penicillin G acylase, streptavidin and different kinases produced in various cultivation systems like microtiter plates, shake flasks and bioreactor systems in batch, fed-batch and continuous mode. To further improve production and secretion performance of Bacillus, bottlenecks and limiting factors concerning proteases, chaperones, secretion machinery or feedback mechanisms can be identified on different cell levels from genomics and transcriptomics via proteomics to metabolomics and fluxomics. For systematical identification of recurring patterns characteristic of given regulatory systems and key genetic targets, systems biology and omics-technology provide suitable and promising approaches, pushing Bacillus further towards industrial application for recombinant pharmaceutical protein production. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. Analysis of the interaction between Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus thuringiensis S-layers and calcium ions by XRD, light microscopy, and FTIR.

    PubMed

    Babolmorad, Ghazal; Emtiazi, Giti; Emamzadeh, Rahman

    2014-05-01

    S-layer is a self-assemble regularly crystalline surface that covers major cell wall component of many bacteria and archaea and exhibits a high metal-binding capacity. We have studied the effect of the calcium ions and type of solid support (glass or mica) on the structure of the S-layers from Bacillus coagulans HN-68 and Bacillus thuringiensis MH14 upon simple methods based on light microscopy and AFM. Furthermore, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study is indicated that the calcium-S-layer interaction occurred mainly through the carboxylate groups of the side chains of aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu) and nitrogen atoms of Lys, Asn, and histidine (His) amino acids and N-H groups of the peptide backbone. Studied FTIR revealed that inner faces of S-layer are mainly negative, and outer faces of S-layer are mainly positive. Probably, calcium ions with positive charges bound to the carboxyl groups of Glu and Asp. Accordingly, calcium ions are anchored in the space between the inner faces of S-layer with negative charge and the surface of mica with negative charge. This leads to regular arrangement of the S-layer subunits.

  2. Detoxification and anti-nutrients reduction of Jatropha curcas seed cake by Bacillus fermentation.

    PubMed

    Phengnuam, Thanyarat; Suntornsuk, Worapot

    2013-02-01

    Jatropha curcas seed cake is a by-product generated from oil extraction of J. curcas seed. Although it contains a high amount of protein, it has phorbol esters and anti-nutritional factors such as phytate, trypsin inhibitor, lectin and saponin. It cannot be applied directly in the food or animal feed industries. This investigation was aimed at detoxifying the toxic and anti-nutritional compounds in J. curcas seed cake by fermentation with Bacillus spp. Two GRAS (generally recognized as safe) Bacillus strains used in the study were Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis with solid-state and submerged fermentations. Solid-state fermentation was done on 10 g of seed cake with a moisture content of 70% for 7 days, while submerged fermentation was carried out on 10 g of seed cake in 100 ml distilled water for 5 days. The fermentations were incubated at the optimum condition of each strain. After fermentation, bacterial growth, pH, toxic and anti-nutritional compounds were determined. Results showed that B. licheniformis with submerged fermentation were the most effective method to degrade toxic and anti-nutritional compounds in the seed cake. After fermentation, phorbol esters, phytate and trypsin inhibitor were reduced by 62%, 42% and 75%, respectively, while lectin could not be eliminated. The reduction of phorbol esters, phytate and trypsin inhibitor was related to esterase, phytase and protease activities, respectively. J. curcas seed cake could be mainly detoxified by bacterial fermentation and the high-protein fermented seed cake could be potentially applied to animal feed. Copyright © 2012 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A four-gene operon in Bacillus cereus produces two rare spore-decorating sugars

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zi; Mukherjee, Thiya; Bowler, Kyle; Namdari, Sholeh; Snow, Zachary; Prestridge, Sarah; Carlton, Alexandra; Bar-Peled, Maor

    2017-01-01

    Bacterial glycan structures on cell surfaces are critical for cell-cell recognition and adhesion and in host-pathogen interactions. Accordingly, unraveling the sugar composition of bacterial cell surfaces can shed light on bacterial growth and pathogenesis. Here, we found that two rare sugars with a 3-C-methyl-6-deoxyhexose structure were linked to spore glycans in Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 and ATCC 10876. Moreover, we identified a four-gene operon in B. cereus ATCC 14579 that encodes proteins with the following sequential enzyme activities as determined by mass spectrometry and one- and two-dimensional NMR methods: CTP:glucose-1-phosphate cytidylyltransferase, CDP-Glc 4,6-dehydratase, NADH-dependent SAM:C-methyltransferase, and NADPH-dependent CDP-3-C-methyl-6-deoxyhexose 4-reductase. The last enzyme predominantly yielded CDP-3-C-methyl-6-deoxygulose (CDP-cereose) and likely generated a 4-epimer CDP-3-C-methyl-6-deoxyallose (CDP-cillose). Some members of the B. cereus sensu lato group produce CDP-3-C-methyl-6-deoxy sugars for the formation of cereose-containing glycans on spores, whereas others such as Bacillus anthracis do not. Gene knockouts of the Bacillus C-methyltransferase and the 4-reductase confirmed their involvement in the formation of cereose-containing glycan on B. cereus spores. We also found that cereose represented 0.2–1% spore dry weight. Moreover, mutants lacking cereose germinated faster than the wild type, yet the mutants exhibited no changes in sporulation or spore resistance to heat. The findings reported here may provide new insights into the roles of the uncommon 3-C-methyl-6-deoxy sugars in cell-surface recognition and host-pathogen interactions of the genus Bacillus. PMID:28298443

  4. Biocontrol of geosmin-producing Streptomyces spp. by two Bacillus strains from Chinese liquor.

    PubMed

    Zhi, Yan; Wu, Qun; Du, Hai; Xu, Yan

    2016-08-16

    Streptomyces spp. producing geosmin have been regarded as the most frequent and serious microbial contamination causing earthy off-flavor in Chinese liquor. It is therefore necessary to control the Streptomyces community during liquor fermentation. Biological control, using the native microbiota present in liquor making, appears to be a better solution than chemical methods. The objective of this study was to isolate native microbiota antagonistic toward Streptomyces spp. and then to evaluate the possible action mode of the antagonists. Fourteen Bacillus strains isolated from different Daqu (the fermentation starter) showed antagonistic activity against Streptomyces sampsonii, which is one of the dominant geosmin producers. Bacillus subtilis 2-16 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 1-45 from Maotai Daqu significantly inhibited the growth of S. sampsonii by 57.8% and 84.3% respectively, and effectively prevented the geosmin production in the simulated fermentation experiments (inoculation ratio 1:1). To probe the biocontrol mode, the ability of strain 2-16 and 1-45 to produce antimicrobial metabolites and to reduce geosmin in the fermentation system was investigated. Antimicrobial substances were identified as lipopeptides by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem electrospray ionization/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI/Q-TOF MS) and in vitro antibiotic assay. In addition, strains 2-16 and 1-45 were able to remove 45% and 15% of the geosmin respectively in the simulated solid-state fermentation. This study highlighted the potential of biocontrol, and how the use of native Bacillus species in Daqu could provide an eco-friendly method to prevent growth of Streptomyces spp. and geosmin contamination in Chinese liquor fermentation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Evaluation of dermal wound healing and in vitro antioxidant efficiency of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant.

    PubMed

    Zouari, Raida; Moalla-Rekik, Dorsaf; Sahnoun, Zouheir; Rebai, Tarek; Ellouze-Chaabouni, Semia; Ghribi-Aydi, Dhouha

    2016-12-01

    Lipopeptide microbial surfactants are endowed with unique surface properties as well as antimicrobial, anti-wrinkle, moisturizing and free radical scavenging activities. They were introduced safely in dermatological products, as long as they present low cytotoxicity against human cells. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant activities and the wound healing potential of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 lipopeptide biosurfactant on excision wounds induced in experimental rats. The scavenging effect of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical at 1mg/mL was 70.4% (IC 50 =0.55mg/mL). The biosurfactant produced by Bacillus subtilis SPB1 also showed good reducing power and significant effects in terms of the β-carotene test (IC 50 =2.26mg/mL) when compared to BHA as a reference standard. Moreover, an interesting ferrous ion chelating activity (80.32%) was found for SPB1 biosurfactant at 1mg/mL. Furthermore, the topical application of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant based gel on the wound site in a rat model every two days, increased significantly the percentage of wound closure over a period of 13days, when compared to the untreated and CICAFLORA™-treated groups. Wound healing effect of SPB1 biosurfactant based gel was confirmed by histological study. Biopsies treated with SPB1 lipopeptides showed wholly re-epithelialized wound with a perfect epidermal regeneration. The present study provides justification for the use of Bacillus subtilis SPB1 lipopeptide biosurfactant based gel for the treatment of normal and complicated wounds as well as skin diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Bacterial treatment of alkaline cement kiln dust using Bacillus halodurans strain KG1.

    PubMed

    Kunal; Rajor, Anita; Siddique, Rafat

    2016-01-01

    This study was conducted to isolate an acid-producing, alkaliphilic bacterium to reduce the alkalinity of cement industry waste (cement kiln dust). Gram-positive isolate KG1 grew well at pH values of 6-12, temperatures of 28-50°C, and NaCl concentrations of 0-16% and thus was further screened for its potential to reduce the pH of an alkaline medium. Phenotypic characteristics of the KG1 isolate were consistent with those of the genus Bacillus, and the highest level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was found with Bacillus halodurans strain DSM 497 (94.7%). On the basis of its phenotypic characteristics and genotypic distinctiveness from other phylogenetic neighbors belonging to alkaliphilic Bacillus species, the isolated strain was designated B. halodurans strain KG1, with GenBank accession number JQ307184 (= NCIM 5439). Isolate KG1 reduced the alkalinity (by 83.64%) and the chloride content (by 86.96%) of cement kiln dust and showed a potential to be used in the cement industry for a variety of applications. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  7. Evaluation and Selection of Bacillus Species Based on Enzyme Production, Antimicrobial Activity, and Biofilm Synthesis as Direct-Fed Microbial Candidates for Poultry

    PubMed Central

    Latorre, Juan D.; Hernandez-Velasco, Xochitl; Wolfenden, Ross E.; Vicente, Jose L.; Wolfenden, Amanda D.; Menconi, Anita; Bielke, Lisa R.; Hargis, Billy M.; Tellez, Guillermo

    2016-01-01

    Social concern about misuse of antibiotics as growth promoters (AGP) and generation of multidrug-resistant bacteria have restricted the dietary inclusion of antibiotics in livestock feed in several countries. Direct-fed microbials (DFM) are one of the multiple alternatives commonly evaluated as substitutes of AGP. Sporeformer bacteria from the genus Bacillus have been extensively investigated because of their extraordinary properties to form highly resistant endospores, produce antimicrobial compounds, and synthesize different exogenous enzymes. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and select Bacillus spp. from environmental and poultry sources as DFM candidates, considering their enzyme production profile, biofilm synthesis capacity, and pathogen-inhibition activity. Thirty-one Bacillus isolates were screened for in vitro relative enzyme activity of amylase, protease, lipase, and phytase using a selective media for each enzyme, with 3/31 strains selected as superior enzyme producers. These three isolates were identified as Bacillus subtilis (1/3), and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (2/3), based on biochemical tests and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. For evaluation of biofilm synthesis, the generation of an adherent crystal violet-stained ring was determined in polypropylene tubes, resulting in 11/31 strains showing a strong biofilm formation. Moreover, all Bacillus strains were evaluated for growth inhibition activity against Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (26/31), Escherichia coli (28/31), and Clostridioides difficile (29/31). Additionally, in previous in vitro and in vivo studies, these selected Bacillus strains have shown to be resistant to different biochemical conditions of the gastrointestinal tract of poultry. Results of the present study suggest that the selection and consumption of Bacillus-DFM, producing a variable set of enzymes and antimicrobial compounds, may contribute to enhanced performance through improving nutrient digestibility

  8. Adaptation of primocane fruiting raspberry plants to environmental factors under the influence of Bacillus strains in Western Siberia.

    PubMed

    Belyaev, Anatoly A; Shternshis, Margarita V; Chechenina, Nina S; Shpatova, Tatyana V; Lelyak, Anastasya A

    2017-03-01

    In geographical locations with a short vegetative season and continental climate that include Western Siberia, growing primocane fruiting raspberry varieties becomes very important. However, it is necessary to help the plants to overcome the environmental stress factors. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the pre-planting treatment of primocane fruiting raspberry root system with Bacillus strains on the following plant development under variable environmental conditions. In 2012, Bacillus subtilis RCAM В-10641, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens RCAM В-10642, and Bacillus licheniformis RCAM В-10562 were used for inoculating the root system of primocane fruiting raspberry cultivar Nedosyagaemaya before planting. The test suspensions were 10 5  CFU/ml for each bacterial strains. The effects of this treatment on plant growth and crop productivity were estimated in 2012-2015 growing seasons differed by environmental conditions. The pre-planting treatment by the bacterial strains increased the number of new raspberry canes and the number of plant generative organs as well as crop productivity compared to control. In addition, these bacilli acted as the standard humic fertilizer. Variable environmental factors such as air temperature, relative humidity, and winter and spring frosts seriously influenced the plant biological parameters and crop productivity of control plants. At the same time, the pre-planting primocane fruiting root treatment by Bacillus strains decreased the negative effects of abiotic stresses on plants in all years of the research. Of the three strains studied, B. subtilis was shown to reveal the best results in adaptation of primocane fruiting raspberry plants to environmental factors in Western Siberia. For the first time, the role of Bacillus strains in enhancing frost resistance in primocane fruiting raspberry plants was shown. These bacilli are capable of being the basis of multifunctional biological formulations for effective plant and

  9. Effect of thymol in heating and recovery media on the isothermal and non-isothermal heat resistance of Bacillus spores.

    PubMed

    Esteban, Maria-Dolores; Conesa, Raquel; Huertas, Juan-Pablo; Palop, Alfredo

    2015-06-01

    Members of the genus Bacillus include important food-borne pathogen and spoilage microorganisms for food industry. Essential oils are natural products extracted from herbs and spices, which can be used as natural preservatives in many foods because of their antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties. The aim of this research was to explore the effect of the addition of different concentrations of thymol to the heating and recovery media on the thermal resistance of spores of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis at different temperatures. While the heat resistance was hardly reduced when thymol was present in the heating medium, the effect in the recovery medium was greater, reducing the D100 °C values down to one third for B. subtilis and B. cereus when 0.5 mM thymol was added. This effect was dose dependent and was also observed at other heating temperatures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Role of Ni-tolerant Bacillus spp. and Althea rosea L. in the phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Khan, Waheed Ullah; Yasin, Nasim Ahmad; Ahmad, Sajid Rashid; Ali, Aamir; Ahmed, Shakil; Ahmad, Aqeel

    2017-05-04

    In our current study, four nickel-tolerant (Ni-tolerant) bacterial species viz, Bacillus thuringiensis 002, Bacillus fortis 162, Bacillus subtilis 174, and Bacillus farraginis 354, were screened using Ni-contaminated media. The screened microbes exhibited positive results for synthesis of indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophore production, and phosphate solubilization. The effects of these screened microbes on Ni mobility in the soil, root elongation, plant biomass, and Ni uptake in Althea rosea plants grown in Ni-contaminated soil (200 mg Ni kg -1 ) were evaluated. Significantly higher value for water-extractable Ni (38 mg kg -1 ) was observed in case of Ni-amended soils inoculated with B. subtilis 174. Similarly, B. thuringiensis 002, B. fortis 162, and B. subtilis 174 significantly enhanced growth and Ni uptake in A. rosea. The Ni uptake in the shoots and roots of B. subtilis 174-inoculated plants enhanced up to 1.7 and 1.6-fold, respectively, as compared to that in the un-inoculated control. Bacterial inoculation also significantly improved the root and shoot biomass of treated plants. The current study presents a novel approach for bacteria-assisted phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated areas.

  11. Directed natural product biosynthesis gene cluster capture and expression in the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yongxin; Li, Zhongrui; Yamanaka, Kazuya; Xu, Ying; Zhang, Weipeng; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto; Moore, Bradley S.; Qian, Pei-Yuan

    2015-03-01

    Bacilli are ubiquitous low G+C environmental Gram-positive bacteria that produce a wide assortment of specialized small molecules. Although their natural product biosynthetic potential is high, robust molecular tools to support the heterologous expression of large biosynthetic gene clusters in Bacillus hosts are rare. Herein we adapt transformation-associated recombination (TAR) in yeast to design a single genomic capture and expression vector for antibiotic production in Bacillus subtilis. After validating this direct cloning ``plug-and-play'' approach with surfactin, we genetically interrogated amicoumacin biosynthetic gene cluster from the marine isolate Bacillus subtilis 1779. Its heterologous expression allowed us to explore an unusual maturation process involving the N-acyl-asparagine pro-drug intermediates preamicoumacins, which are hydrolyzed by the asparagine-specific peptidase into the active component amicoumacin A. This work represents the first direct cloning based heterologous expression of natural products in the model organism B. subtilis and paves the way to the development of future genome mining efforts in this genus.

  12. Directed natural product biosynthesis gene cluster capture and expression in the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Li, Yongxin; Li, Zhongrui; Yamanaka, Kazuya; Xu, Ying; Zhang, Weipeng; Vlamakis, Hera; Kolter, Roberto; Moore, Bradley S; Qian, Pei-Yuan

    2015-03-24

    Bacilli are ubiquitous low G+C environmental Gram-positive bacteria that produce a wide assortment of specialized small molecules. Although their natural product biosynthetic potential is high, robust molecular tools to support the heterologous expression of large biosynthetic gene clusters in Bacillus hosts are rare. Herein we adapt transformation-associated recombination (TAR) in yeast to design a single genomic capture and expression vector for antibiotic production in Bacillus subtilis. After validating this direct cloning "plug-and-play" approach with surfactin, we genetically interrogated amicoumacin biosynthetic gene cluster from the marine isolate Bacillus subtilis 1779. Its heterologous expression allowed us to explore an unusual maturation process involving the N-acyl-asparagine pro-drug intermediates preamicoumacins, which are hydrolyzed by the asparagine-specific peptidase into the active component amicoumacin A. This work represents the first direct cloning based heterologous expression of natural products in the model organism B. subtilis and paves the way to the development of future genome mining efforts in this genus.

  13. Studies of plant colonisation by closely related Bacillus amyloliquefaciens biocontrol agents using strain specific quantitative PCR assays.

    PubMed

    Johansson, Anna H; Bejai, Sarosh; Niazi, Adnan; Manzoor, Shahid; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik; Meijer, Johan

    2014-12-01

    Certain strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens can colonize plants and improve growth and stress management. In order to study these effects, bacterial growth dynamics on plants and in the rhizosphere are of interest calling for specific analytical tools. For that purpose, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays were developed in order to differentiate among three closely related B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum strains (UCMB5033, UCMB5036, UCMB5113) and to determine their levels with high accuracy. Oligonucleotide primers were designed for strain unique gene sequences and used for SYBR green based qPCR analysis. Standard curves covered a wide linear range (10(6)) of DNA amounts with the lowest detection level at 50 fg. Post-reaction melting curve analysis showed only a single product. Accurate threshold cycles were obtained, even in the presence of high excess of related Bacillus strains and total bacterial DNA from soil. Analysis of Bacillus colonisation after seed treatment of two oilseed rape cultivars (Oase and Ritz) grown on agar support showed a time dependent effect but that the bacteria mostly were found on root tissues and little on green tissues. The colonisation on plants grown in soil varied among the Bacillus strains where Oase seemed to house more bacteria than Ritz. Applied as a mixture, all three Bacillus strains co-existed on the roots of plants grown in soil. The qPCR assay in combination with other techniques will be a powerful tool to study plant interactions of these B. amyloliquefaciens biocontrol agents to further understand the requirements for successful interactions and improvement of plant properties.

  14. Soil burial method for plastic degradation performed by Pseudomonas PL-01, Bacillus PL-01, and indigenous bacteria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shovitri, Maya; Nafi'ah, Risyatun; Antika, Titi Rindi; Alami, Nur Hidayatul; Kuswytasari, N. D.; Zulaikha, Enny

    2017-06-01

    Lately, plastic bag is becoming the most important pollutant for environment since it is difficult to be naturally degraded due to it consists of long hydrocarbon polymer chains. Our previous study indicated that our pure isolate Pseudomonas PL-01 and Bacillus PL-01 could degrade about 10% plastic bag. This present study was aimed to find out whether Pseudomonas PL01 and Bacillus PL01 put a positive effect to indigenous bacteria from marginal area in doing plastic degradation with a soil burial method. Beach sand was used as a representative marginal area, and mangrove sediment was used as a comparison. Plastics were submerged into unsterile beach sand with 10% of Pseudomonas PL-01 or Bacillus PL-01 containing liquid minimal salt medium (MSM) separately, while other plastics were submerged into unsterile mangrove sediments. After 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks, their biofilm formation on their plastic surfaces and plastic degradation were measured. Results indicated that those 2 isolates put positive influent on biofilm formation and plastic degradation for indigenous beach sand bacteria. Bacillus PL-01 put higher influent than Pseudomonas PL-01. Plastic transparent was preferable degraded than black and white plastic bag `kresek'. But anyhow, indigenous mangrove soil bacteria showed the best performance in biofilm formation and plastic degradation, even without Pseudomonas PL-01 or Bacillus PL-01 addition. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis complemented the results; there were attenuated peaks with decreasing peaks transmittances. This FTIR peaks indicated chemical functional group changes happened among the plastic compounds after 16 weeks incubation time.

  15. Phylogenetic analysis of Bacillus subtilis strains applicable to natto (fermented soybean) production.

    PubMed

    Kubo, Yuji; Rooney, Alejandro P; Tsukakoshi, Yoshiki; Nakagawa, Rikio; Hasegawa, Hiromasa; Kimura, Keitarou

    2011-09-01

    Spore-forming Bacillus strains that produce extracellular poly-γ-glutamic acid were screened for their application to natto (fermented soybean food) fermentation. Among the 424 strains, including Bacillus subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, which we isolated from rice straw, 59 were capable of fermenting natto. Biotin auxotrophism was tightly linked to natto fermentation. A multilocus nucleotide sequence of six genes (rpoB, purH, gyrA, groEL, polC, and 16S rRNA) was used for phylogenetic analysis, and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was also conducted on the natto-fermenting strains. The ability to ferment natto was inferred from the two principal components of the AFLP banding pattern, and natto-fermenting strains formed a tight cluster within the B. subtilis subsp. subtilis group.

  16. Recent progress in Bacillus subtilis spore-surface display: concept, progress, and future.

    PubMed

    Wang, He; Wang, Yunxiang; Yang, Ruijin

    2017-02-01

    With the increased knowledge on spore structure and advances in biotechnology engineering, the newly developed spore-surface display system confers several inherent advantages over other microbial cell-surface display systems including enhanced stability and high safety. Bacillus subtilis is the most commonly used Bacillus species for spore-surface display. The expression of heterologous antigen or protein on the surface of B. subtilis spores has now been practiced for over a decade with noteworthy success. As an update and supplement to other previous reviews, we comprehensively summarize recent studies in the B. subtilis spore-surface display technique. We focus on its benefits as well as the critical factors affecting its display efficiency and offer suggestions for the future success of this field.

  17. Activation of Antibiotic Production in Bacillus spp. by Cumulative Drug Resistance Mutations

    PubMed Central

    Tojo, Shigeo; Tanaka, Yukinori

    2015-01-01

    Bacillus subtilis strains produce a wide range of antibiotics, including ribosomal and nonribosomal peptide antibiotics, as well as bacilysocin and neotrehalosadiamine. Mutations in B. subtilis strain 168 that conferred resistance to drugs such as streptomycin and rifampin resulted in overproduction of the dipeptide antibiotic bacilysin. Cumulative drug resistance mutations, such as mutations in the mthA and rpsL genes, which confer low- and high-level resistance, respectively, to streptomycin, and mutations in rpoB, which confer resistance to rifampin, resulted in cells that overproduced bacilysin. Transcriptional analysis demonstrated that the enhanced transcription of biosynthesis genes was responsible for the overproduction of bacilysin. This approach was effective also in activating the cryptic genes of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, leading to actual production of antibiotic(s). PMID:26369962

  18. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  19. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  20. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  1. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  2. 40 CFR 180.1154 - CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki encapsulated in killed Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the... RESIDUES IN FOOD Exemptions From Tolerances § 180.1154 CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of... plasmid and cloning vector genetic constructs. CryIA(c) and CryIC derived delta-endotoxins of Bacillus...

  3. Ecology and genomics of Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Earl, Ashlee M; Losick, Richard; Kolter, Roberto

    2008-06-01

    Bacillus subtilis is a remarkably diverse bacterial species that is capable of growth within many environments. Recent microarray-based comparative genomic analyses have revealed that members of this species also exhibit considerable genomic diversity. The identification of strain-specific genes might explain how B. subtilis has become so broadly adapted. The goal of identifying ecologically adaptive genes could soon be realized with the imminent release of several new B. subtilis genome sequences. As we embark upon this exciting new era of B. subtilis comparative genomics we review what is currently known about the ecology and evolution of this species.

  4. Efficiency of Intergeneric Recombinants Between Bacillus Thuringiensis and Bacillus Subtilis for Increasing Mortality Rate in Cotten Leaf Worm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    AlOtaibi, Saad Aied

    2012-12-01

    In this study , two strains of Bacillus belonging to two serotypes and four of their transconjugants were screened with respect to their toxicity against lepidopterous cotton pest. . Bacterial transconjugants isolated from conjugation between both strains were evaluated for their transconjugant efficiency caused mortality in Spodoptera littoralis larvae . Two groups of bioinsecticides ; crystals , crystals and spores have been isolated from Bacillusstrains and their transconjugants . Insecticidal crystal protein ( ICP ) was specific for lepidopteran insects because of the toxin sufficient both for insect specificity and toxicity . The toxicities of these two groups against larvae of Spodoptera littoralis was expressed as transconjugant efficiency , which related to the mean number of larvae died expressed as mortality percentage . The results showed transconjugant efficiency in reducing the mean number of Spodoptera littoralis larvae feeding on leaves of Ricinus communis sprayed with bioinsecticides of Bt transconjugants. Most values of positive transconjugant efficiency related to increasing mortality percentage are due to toxicological effects appeared in response to the treatments with crystals + endospores than that of crystals alone .This indicated that crystals + endospores was more effective for increasing mortality percentage than that resulted by crystals . Higher positive transconjugant efficiency in relation to the mid parents and better parent was appeared at 168 h of treatment . The results indicated that recombinant Bacillus thuringiensis are important control agents for lepidopteran pests , as well as , susceptibility decreased with larval development . The results also suggested a potential for the deployment of these recominant entomopathogens in the management of Spodoptera. littoralis larvae .

  5. SpoVT: From Fine-Tuning Regulator in Bacillus subtilis to Essential Sporulation Protein in Bacillus cereus

    PubMed Central

    Eijlander, Robyn T.; Holsappel, Siger; de Jong, Anne; Ghosh, Abhinaba; Christie, Graham; Kuipers, Oscar P.

    2016-01-01

    Sporulation is a highly sophisticated developmental process adopted by most Bacilli as a survival strategy to withstand extreme conditions that normally do not support microbial growth. A complicated regulatory cascade, divided into various stages and taking place in two different compartments of the cell, involves a number of primary and secondary regulator proteins that drive gene expression directed toward the formation and maturation of an endospore. Such regulator proteins are highly conserved among various spore formers. Despite this conservation, both regulatory and phenotypic differences are observed between different species of spore forming bacteria. In this study, we demonstrate that deletion of the regulatory sporulation protein SpoVT results in a severe sporulation defect in Bacillus cereus, whereas this is not observed in Bacillus subtilis. Although spores are initially formed, the process is stalled at a later stage in development, followed by lysis of the forespore and the mother cell. A transcriptomic investigation of B. cereus ΔspoVT shows upregulation of genes involved in germination, potentially leading to premature lysis of prespores formed. Additionally, extreme variation in the expression of species-specific genes of unknown function was observed. Introduction of the B. subtilis SpoVT protein could partly restore the sporulation defect in the B. cereus spoVT mutant strain. The difference in phenotype is thus more than likely explained by differences in promoter targets rather than differences in mode of action of the conserved SpoVT regulator protein. This study stresses that evolutionary variances in regulon members of sporulation regulators can have profound effects on the spore developmental process and that mere protein homology is not a foolproof predictor of similar phenotypes. PMID:27790204

  6. SpoVT: From Fine-Tuning Regulator in Bacillus subtilis to Essential Sporulation Protein in Bacillus cereus.

    PubMed

    Eijlander, Robyn T; Holsappel, Siger; de Jong, Anne; Ghosh, Abhinaba; Christie, Graham; Kuipers, Oscar P

    2016-01-01

    Sporulation is a highly sophisticated developmental process adopted by most Bacilli as a survival strategy to withstand extreme conditions that normally do not support microbial growth. A complicated regulatory cascade, divided into various stages and taking place in two different compartments of the cell, involves a number of primary and secondary regulator proteins that drive gene expression directed toward the formation and maturation of an endospore. Such regulator proteins are highly conserved among various spore formers. Despite this conservation, both regulatory and phenotypic differences are observed between different species of spore forming bacteria. In this study, we demonstrate that deletion of the regulatory sporulation protein SpoVT results in a severe sporulation defect in Bacillus cereus , whereas this is not observed in Bacillus subtilis . Although spores are initially formed, the process is stalled at a later stage in development, followed by lysis of the forespore and the mother cell. A transcriptomic investigation of B. cereus Δ spoVT shows upregulation of genes involved in germination, potentially leading to premature lysis of prespores formed. Additionally, extreme variation in the expression of species-specific genes of unknown function was observed. Introduction of the B. subtilis SpoVT protein could partly restore the sporulation defect in the B. cereus spoVT mutant strain. The difference in phenotype is thus more than likely explained by differences in promoter targets rather than differences in mode of action of the conserved SpoVT regulator protein. This study stresses that evolutionary variances in regulon members of sporulation regulators can have profound effects on the spore developmental process and that mere protein homology is not a foolproof predictor of similar phenotypes.

  7. The Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus halodurans Aspartyl-tRNA Synthetases Retain Recognition of tRNA(Asn).

    PubMed

    Nair, Nilendra; Raff, Hannah; Islam, Mohammed Tarek; Feen, Melanie; Garofalo, Denise M; Sheppard, Kelly

    2016-02-13

    Synthesis of asparaginyl-tRNA (Asn-tRNA(Asn)) in bacteria can be formed either by directly ligating Asn to tRNA(Asn) using an asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (AsnRS) or by synthesizing Asn on the tRNA. In the latter two-step indirect pathway, a non-discriminating aspartyl-tRNA synthetase (ND-AspRS) attaches Asp to tRNA(Asn) and the amidotransferase GatCAB transamidates the Asp to Asn on the tRNA. GatCAB can be similarly used for Gln-tRNA(Gln) formation. Most bacteria are predicted to use only one route for Asn-tRNA(Asn) formation. Given that Bacillus halodurans and Bacillus subtilis encode AsnRS for Asn-tRNA(Asn) formation and Asn synthetases to synthesize Asn and GatCAB for Gln-tRNA(Gln) synthesis, their AspRS enzymes were thought to be specific for tRNA(Asp). However, we demonstrate that the AspRSs are non-discriminating and can be used with GatCAB to synthesize Asn. The results explain why B. subtilis with its Asn synthetase genes knocked out is still an Asn prototroph. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that this may be common among Firmicutes and 30% of all bacteria. In addition, the phylogeny revealed that discrimination toward tRNA(Asp) by AspRS has evolved independently multiple times. The retention of the indirect pathway in B. subtilis and B. halodurans likely reflects the ancient link between Asn biosynthesis and its use in translation that enabled Asn to be added to the genetic code. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  8. ResDE Two-Component Regulatory System Mediates Oxygen Limitation-Induced Biofilm Formation by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xuan; Zhang, Nan; Xia, Liming; Li, Qing; Shao, Jiahui; Shen, Qirong; Zhang, Ruifu

    2018-04-15

    Efficient biofilm formation and root colonization capabilities facilitate the ability of beneficial plant rhizobacteria to promote plant growth and antagonize soilborne pathogens. Biofilm formation by plant-beneficial Bacillus strains is triggered by environmental cues, including oxygen deficiency, but the pathways that sense these environmental signals and regulate biofilm formation have not been thoroughly elucidated. In this study, we showed that the ResDE two-component regulatory system in the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain SQR9 senses the oxygen deficiency signal and regulates biofilm formation. ResE is activated by sensing the oxygen limitation-induced reduction of the NAD + /NADH pool through its PAS domain, stimulating its kinase activity, and resulting in the transfer of a phosphoryl group to ResD. The phosphorylated ResD directly binds to the promoter regions of the qoxABCD and ctaCDEF operons to improve the biosynthesis of terminal oxidases, which can interact with KinB to activate biofilm formation. These results not only revealed the novel regulatory function of the ResDE two-component system but also contributed to the understanding of the complicated regulatory network governing Bacillus biofilm formation. This research may help to enhance the root colonization and the plant-beneficial efficiency of SQR9 and other Bacillus rhizobacteria used in agriculture. IMPORTANCE Bacillus spp. are widely used as bioinoculants for plant growth promotion and disease suppression. The exertion of their plant-beneficial functions is largely dependent on their root colonization, which is closely related to their biofilm formation capabilities. On the other hand, Bacillus is the model bacterium for biofilm study, and the process and molecular network of biofilm formation are well characterized (B. Mielich-Süss and D. Lopez, Environ Microbiol 17:555-565, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12527; L. S. Cairns, L. Hobley, and

  9. Mapping of Proteomic Composition on the Surfaces of Bacillus spores by Atomic Force Microscopy-based Immunolabeling

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Plomp, M; Malkin, A J

    2008-06-02

    Atomic force microscopy provides a unique capability to image high-resolution architecture and structural dynamics of pathogens (e.g. viruses, bacteria and bacterial spores) at near molecular resolution in native conditions. Further development of atomic force microscopy in order to enable the correlation of pathogen protein surface structures with specific gene products is essential to understand the mechanisms of the pathogen life cycle. We have applied an AFM-based immunolabeling technique for the proteomic mapping of macromolecular structures through the visualization of the binding of antibodies, conjugated with nanogold particles, to specific epitopes on Bacillus spore surfaces. This information is generated while simultaneouslymore » acquiring the surface morphology of the pathogen. The immunospecificity of this labeling method was established through the utilization of specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies that target spore coat and exosporium epitopes of Bacillus atrophaeus and Bacillus anthracis spores.« less

  10. Zinc solubilizing Bacillus spp. potential candidates for biofortification in maize.

    PubMed

    Mumtaz, Muhammad Zahid; Ahmad, Maqshoof; Jamil, Moazzam; Hussain, Tanveer

    2017-09-01

    Bioaugmentation of Zn solubilizing rhizobacteria could be a sustainable intervention to increase bioavailability of Zn in soil which can be helpful in mitigation of yield loss and malnutrition of zinc. In present study, a number of pure rhizobacterial colonies were isolated from maize rhizosphere and screened for their ability to solubilize zinc oxide. These isolates were screened on the basis of zinc and phosphate solubilization, IAA production, protease production, catalase activity and starch hydrolysis. All the selected isolates were also positive for oxidase activity (except ZM22), HCN production (except ZM27) and utilization of citrate. More than 70% of isolates produces ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, exopolysaccharides and cellulase. More than half of isolates also showed potential for urease activity and production of lipase. The ZM31 and S10 were the only isolates which showed the chitinase activity. All these isolates were evaluated in a jar trial for their ability to promote growth of maize under axenic conditions. Results revealed that inoculation of selected zinc solubilizing rhizobacterial isolates improved the growth of maize. In comparison, isolates ZM20, ZM31, ZM63 and S10 were best compared to other tested isolates in stimulating the growth attributes of maize like shoot length, root length, plant fresh and dry biomass. These strains were identified as Bacillus sp. (ZM20), Bacillus aryabhattai (ZM31 and S10) and Bacillus subtilis (ZM63) through 16S rRNA sequencing. This study indicated that inoculation of Zn solubilizing strains have potential to promote growth and can be the potential bio-inoculants for biofortification of maize to overcome the problems of malnutrition. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. A four-gene operon in Bacillus cereus produces two rare spore-decorating sugars.

    PubMed

    Li, Zi; Mukherjee, Thiya; Bowler, Kyle; Namdari, Sholeh; Snow, Zachary; Prestridge, Sarah; Carlton, Alexandra; Bar-Peled, Maor

    2017-05-05

    Bacterial glycan structures on cell surfaces are critical for cell-cell recognition and adhesion and in host-pathogen interactions. Accordingly, unraveling the sugar composition of bacterial cell surfaces can shed light on bacterial growth and pathogenesis. Here, we found that two rare sugars with a 3- C -methyl-6-deoxyhexose structure were linked to spore glycans in Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579 and ATCC 10876. Moreover, we identified a four-gene operon in B. cereus ATCC 14579 that encodes proteins with the following sequential enzyme activities as determined by mass spectrometry and one- and two-dimensional NMR methods: CTP:glucose-1-phosphate cytidylyltransferase, CDP-Glc 4,6-dehydratase, NADH-dependent SAM: C -methyltransferase, and NADPH-dependent CDP-3- C -methyl-6-deoxyhexose 4-reductase. The last enzyme predominantly yielded CDP-3- C -methyl-6-deoxygulose (CDP-cereose) and likely generated a 4-epimer CDP-3- C -methyl-6-deoxyallose (CDP-cillose). Some members of the B. cereus sensu lato group produce CDP-3- C -methyl-6-deoxy sugars for the formation of cereose-containing glycans on spores, whereas others such as Bacillus anthracis do not. Gene knockouts of the Bacillus C -methyltransferase and the 4-reductase confirmed their involvement in the formation of cereose-containing glycan on B. cereus spores. We also found that cereose represented 0.2-1% spore dry weight. Moreover, mutants lacking cereose germinated faster than the wild type, yet the mutants exhibited no changes in sporulation or spore resistance to heat. The findings reported here may provide new insights into the roles of the uncommon 3- C -methyl-6-deoxy sugars in cell-surface recognition and host-pathogen interactions of the genus Bacillus . © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  12. EM Diffusion for a Time-Domain Airborne EM System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yin, C.; Qiu, C.; Liu, Y.; Cai, J.

    2014-12-01

    Visualization of EM diffusion for an airborne EM (AEM) system is important for understanding the transient procedure of EM diffusion. The current distribution and diffusion features also provide effective means to evaluate EM footprint, depth of exploration and further help AEM system design and data interpretation. Most previous studies on EM diffusion (or "smoke ring" effect) are based on the static presentation of EM field, where the dynamic features of EM diffusion were not visible. For visualizing the dynamic feature of EM diffusion, we first calculate in this paper the frequency-domain EM field by downward continuation of the EM field at the EM receiver to the deep earth. After that, we transform the results to time-domain via a Fourier transform. We take a homogeneous half-space and a two-layered earth induced by a step pulse to calculate the EM fields and display the EM diffusion in the earth as 3D animated vectors or time-varying contours. The "smoke ring" effect of EM diffusion, dominated by the resistivity distribution of the earth, is clearly observed. The numerical results for an HCP (vertical magnetic dipole) and a VCX (horizontal magnetic dipole) transmitting coil above a homogeneous half-space of 100 ohm-m are shown in Fig.1. We display as example only the distribution of EM field inside the earth for the diffusion time of 0.05ms. The detailed EM diffusion will be shown in our future presentation. From the numerical experiments for different models, we find that 1) the current for either an HCP or a VCX transmitting dipole propagates downward and outward with time, becoming wider and more diffuse, forming a "smoke ring"; 2) for a VCX transmitter, the underground current forms two ellipses, corresponding to the two polarities of the magnetic flux of a horizontal magnetic dipole, injecting into or ejected from the earth; 3) for a HCP transmitter, however, the underground current forms only one circle, corresponding to the polarity of the magnetic flux

  13. Phytate addition to soil induces changes in the abundance and expression of Bacillus β-propeller phytase genes in the rhizosphere.

    PubMed

    Jorquera, Milko A; Saavedra, Nicolás; Maruyama, Fumito; Richardson, Alan E; Crowley, David E; del C Catrilaf, Rosa; Henriquez, Evelyn J; de la Luz Mora, María

    2013-02-01

    Phytate-mineralizing rhizobacteria (PMR) perform an essential function for the mineralization of organic phosphorus but little is known about their ecology in soils and rhizosphere. In this study, PCR-based methods were developed for detection and quantification of the Bacillus β-propeller phytase (BPP) gene. Experiments were conducted to monitor the presence and persistence of a phytate-mineralizing strain, Bacillus sp. MQH19, after inoculation of soil microcosms and within the rhizosphere. The occurrence of the BPP gene in natural pasture soils from Chilean Andisols was also examined. The results showed that the Bacillus BPP gene was readily detected in sterile and nonsterile microcosms, and that the quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods could be used to monitor changes in the abundance of the BPP gene over time. Our results also show that the addition of phytate to nonsterile soils induced the expression of the BPP gene in the rhizosphere of ryegrass and the BPP gene was detected in all pasture soils sampled. This study shows that phytate addition soils induced changes in the abundance and expression of Bacillus BPP to genes in the rhizosphere and demonstrates that Bacillus BPP gene is cosmopolitan in pasture soils from Chilean Andisols. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Evaluation of Two Standard and Two Chromogenic Selective Media for Optimal Growth and Enumeration of Isolates of 16 Unique Bacillus Species.

    PubMed

    Kabir, M Shahjahan; Hsieh, Ying-Hsin; Simpson, Steven; Kerdahi, Khalil; Sulaiman, Irshad M

    2017-06-01

    The genus Bacillus is a group of gram-positive endospore-forming bacteria that can cause food poisoning and diarrheal illness in humans. A wide range of food products have been linked to foodborne outbreaks associated with these opportunistic pathogens. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends (in their Bacteriological Analytical Manual) the use of Bacara or mannitol egg yolk polymyxin (MYP) agar plates and the most-probable-number (MPN) method for enumeration and confirmation of Bacillus cereus and related species isolated from foods, sporadic cases, outbreaks, and routine environmental surveillance samples. We performed a comparative analysis of two chromogenic media (Bacara and Brilliance) and two traditional media (MYP and polymyxin egg yolk mannitol bromothymol blue agar [PEMBA]) for the isolation and enumeration of 16 Bacillus species under modified growth conditions that included pH, temperature, and dilution factor. A total of 50 environmental, food, and American Type Culture Collection reference isolates from 16 distinct Bacillus species were evaluated. A food adulteration experiment also was carried out by artificially adulterating two baby food matrices with two isolates each of B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis . Our results clearly indicated that chromogenic plating media (Bacara and Brilliance) are better than conventional standard media (MYP and PEMBA) for the detection and enumeration of B. cereus in foods and other official regulatory samples. The comparison of the two chromogenic media also indicated that Brilliance medium to be more efficient and selective for the isolation of Bacillus.

  15. Isolation and Characterization of Phages Infecting Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Biegalska, Anna; Łoś, Marcin; Richert, Malwina

    2015-01-01

    Bacteriophages have been suggested as an alternative approach to reduce the amount of pathogens in various applications. Bacteriophages of various specificity and virulence were isolated as a means of controlling food-borne pathogens. We studied the interaction of bacteriophages with Bacillus species, which are very often persistent in industrial applications such as food production due to their antibiotic resistance and spore formation. A comparative study using electron microscopy, PFGE, and SDS-PAGE as well as determination of host range, pH and temperature resistance, adsorption rate, latent time, and phage burst size was performed on three phages of the Myoviridae family and one phage of the Siphoviridae family which infected Bacillus subtilis strains. The phages are morphologically different and characterized by icosahedral heads and contractile (SIOΦ, SUBω, and SPOσ phages) or noncontractile (ARπ phage) tails. The genomes of SIOΦ and SUBω are composed of 154 kb. The capsid of SIOΦ is composed of four proteins. Bacteriophages SPOσ and ARπ have genome sizes of 25 kbp and 40 kbp, respectively. Both phages as well as SUBω phage have 14 proteins in their capsids. Phages SIOΦ and SPOσ are resistant to high temperatures and to the acid (4.0) and alkaline (9.0 and 10.0) pH. PMID:26273592

  16. 40 CFR 174.517 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein... Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The plant-incorporated protectant Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn is exempted from the requirement of a tolerance for residues...

  17. 40 CFR 174.517 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein... Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The plant-incorporated protectant Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn is exempted from the requirement of a tolerance for residues...

  18. 40 CFR 174.517 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein... Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The plant-incorporated protectant Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn is exempted from the requirement of a tolerance for residues...

  19. 40 CFR 174.517 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein... Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The plant-incorporated protectant Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn is exempted from the requirement of a tolerance for residues...

  20. 40 CFR 174.517 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein... Cry9C protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. The plant-incorporated protectant Bacillus thuringiensis Cry9C protein in corn is exempted from the requirement of a tolerance for residues...

  1. Bacillus safensis FO-36b and Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032: a whole genome comparison of two spacecraft assembly facility isolates.

    PubMed

    Tirumalai, Madhan R; Stepanov, Victor G; Wünsche, Andrea; Montazari, Saied; Gonzalez, Racquel O; Venkateswaran, Kasturi; Fox, George E

    2018-06-08

    Bacillus strains producing highly resistant spores have been isolated from cleanrooms and space craft assembly facilities. Organisms that can survive such conditions merit planetary protection concern and if that resistance can be transferred to other organisms, a health concern too. To further efforts to understand these resistances, the complete genome of Bacillus safensis strain FO-36b, which produces spores resistant to peroxide and radiation was determined. The genome was compared to the complete genome of B. pumilus SAFR-032, and the draft genomes of B. safensis JPL-MERTA-8-2 and the type strain B. pumilus ATCC7061 T . Additional comparisons were made to 61 draft genomes that have been mostly identified as strains of B. pumilus or B. safensis. The FO-36b gene order is essentially the same as that in SAFR-032 and other B. pumilus strains. The annotated genome has 3850 open reading frames and 40 noncoding RNAs and riboswitches. Of these, 307 are not shared by SAFR-032, and 65 are also not shared by MERTA and ATCC7061 T . The FO-36b genome has ten unique open reading frames and two phage-like regions, homologous to the Bacillus bacteriophage SPP1 and Brevibacillus phage Jimmer1. Differing remnants of the Jimmer1 phage are found in essentially all B. safensis / B. pumilus strains. Seven unique genes are part of these phage elements. Whole Genome Phylogenetic Analysis of the B. pumilus, B. safensis and other Firmicutes genomes, separate them into three distinct clusters. Two clusters are subgroups of B. pumilus while one houses all the B. safensis strains. The Genome-genome distance analysis and a phylogenetic analysis of gyrA sequences corroborated these results. It is not immediately obvious that the presence or absence of any specific gene or combination of genes is responsible for the variations in resistance seen. It is quite possible that distinctions in gene regulation can alter the expression levels of key proteins thereby changing the organism

  2. 40 CFR 174.510 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. 174.510 Section 174.510 Protection of... PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Tolerances and Tolerance Exemptions § 174.510 Bacillus thuringiensis...

  3. [Screening and identification of low temperature-adapted antagonistic Bacillus isolated from Kekexili region of West China and the analysis of the isolates lipopeptide compounds].

    PubMed

    Xie, Yong-Li; Gao, Xue-Wen

    2013-01-01

    The research and exploitation of special microbial resources in extreme environment is of scientific significance and has broad applied prospect. In this paper, eight Bacillus strains isolated from the vegetation rhizospheres in Kekexili extreme region of Qinghai Province and presented good growth status at low temperature 4 and 10 degrees C were identified. Through physiological and biochemical analysis, rep-PCR fingerprinting, and 16S rDNA and gyrB partial sequence analyses, the eight strains were identified as Bacillus mojavensis (3 isolates), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (1 isolate), and Bacillus simplex (4 isolates). The agar plate antagonistic test showed that four of the isolates presented distinct antagonistic activity to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. The MALDI-TOF-MS analysis showed that the strain KKD1 (B. mojavensis) produced fengycin and surfactin, whereas the strain KKD2 (B. amyloliquefaciens) produced iturin A, surfactin and fengycin, suggesting that the bio-control efficacy of the Bacillus strains could be related to the synthesis and excretion of the antifungal lipopeptide compounds. This study provided the bacterial resources for the research and exploitation of low temperature-adapted Bacillus bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides.

  4. Bacillus pumilus KatX2 confers enhanced hydrogen peroxide resistance to a Bacillus subtilis PkatA::katX2 mutant strain.

    PubMed

    Handtke, Stefan; Albrecht, Dirk; Zühlke, Daniela; Otto, Andreas; Becher, Dörte; Schweder, Thomas; Riedel, Kathrin; Hecker, Michael; Voigt, Birgit

    2017-04-26

    Bacillus pumilus cells exhibit a significantly higher resistance to hydrogen peroxide compared to closely related Bacilli like Bacillus subtilis. In this study we analyzed features of the catalase KatX2 of B. pumilus as one of the most important parts of the cellular response to hydrogen peroxide. KatX2, the vegetative catalase expressed in B. pumilus, was compared to the vegetative catalase KatA of B. subtilis. Data of our study demonstrate that B. pumilus can degrade toxic concentrations of hydrogen peroxide faster than B. subtilis. By replacing B. subtilis katA gene by katX2 we could significantly enhance its resistance to H 2 O 2 and its potential to eliminate this toxic compound. Mutant cells showed a 1.5- to 2-fold higher survival to toxic concentrations of hydrogen peroxide compared to wild type cells. Furthermore, we found reversible but also irreversible oxidations of the KatX2 protein which, in contrast to KatA, contains several cysteine residues. Our study indicates that the catalase KatX2 plays a major role in the increased resistance of B. pumilus to oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide. Resistance to hydrogen peroxide of other Bacilli can be enhanced by exchanging the native catalase in the cells with katX2.

  5. Mechanisms of microbial oil recovery by Clostridium acetobutylicum and Bacillus strain JF-2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marsh, T.L.; Zhang, X.; Knapp, R.M.

    1995-12-31

    Core displacement experiments at elevated pressures were conducted to determine whether microbial processes are effective under conditions that simulate those found in an actual oil reservoir. The in-situ growth of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Bacillus strain JF-2 resulted in the recovery of residual oil. About 21 and 23% of the residual oil was recovered by C. acetobutylicum and Bacillus strain JF-2, respectively. Flooding cores with cell-free culture fluids of C. acetobutylicum with and without the addition of 50 mM acetone and 100 mM butanol did not result in the recovery of residual oil. Mathematical simulations showed that the amount of gasmore » produced by the clostridial fermentation was not showed that the amount of gas produced by the clostridial fermentation was not sufficient to recover residual oil. Oil recovery by Bacillus strain JF-2 was highly correlated to surfactant production. A biosurfactant-deficient mutant of strain JF-2 was not capable of recovering residual oil. These data show that surfactant production is an important mechanism for microbially enhanced oil recovery. The mechanism for oil recovery by C. acetobutylicum is not understood at this time, but the production of acids, solvents, or gases alone cannot explain the observed increases in oil recovery by this organism.« less

  6. Bacillus spp. as direct-fed microbial antibiotic alternatives to enhance growth, immunity, and gut health in poultry.

    PubMed

    Grant, Ar'Quette; Gay, Cyril G; Lillehoj, Hyun S

    2018-05-02

    The increasing occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria combined with regulatory pressure and consumer demands for foods produced without antibiotics has caused the agricultural industry to restrict its practice of using antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in food animals. The poultry industry is not immune to this trend, and has been actively seeking natural alternatives to AGP that will improve the health and growth performance of commercial poultry flocks. Bacillus probiotics have been gaining in popularity in recent years as an AGP alternative because of their health-promoting benefits and ability to survive the harsh manufacturing conditions of chicken feed production. This review provides an overview of several modes of action of some Bacillus direct-fed microbials as probiotics. Among the benefits of these direct-fed microbials are their production of naturally synthesized antimicrobial peptides, gut flora modulation to promote beneficial microbiota along the gastrointestinal tract, and various immunological and gut morphological alterations. The modes of action for increased performance are not well defined, and growth promotion is not equal across all Bacillus species or within strains. Appropriate screening and characterization of Bacillus isolates prior to commercialization are necessary to maximize poultry growth to meet the ultimate goal of eliminating AGP usage in animal husbandry.

  7. Strain Screening from Traditional Fermented Soybean Foods and Induction of Nattokinase Production in Bacillus subtilis MX-6.

    PubMed

    Man, Li-Li; Xiang, Dian-Jun; Zhang, Chun-Lan

    2018-02-06

    The plasminogen-free fibrin plate assay method was used to isolate Bacillus subtilis MX-6, a strain with high production of nattokinase from Chinese douchi. The presence of aprN, a gene-encoding nattokinase, was verified with PCR method. The predicted amino acid sequence was aligned with homologous sequences, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Nattokinase was sublimated with ammonium sulfate, using a DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow column, a CM-Sepharose Fast Flow column and a Sephadex G-75 gel filtration column. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that the molecular weight of the purified nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis MX-6 was about 28 kDa. Fermentation of Bacillus subtilis MX-6 nattokinase showed that nattokinase production was maximized after 72 h; the diameter of clear zone reached 21.60 mm on the plasminogen-free fibrin plate. Nattokinase production by Bacillus subtilis MX-6 increased significantly after supplementation with supernatant I, supernatant II and soy peptone but decreased substantially after the addition of amino acids. This result indicated that the nattokinase production by B. subtilis MX-6 might be induced by soybean polypeptides. The addition of MgSO 4 and CaCl 2 increased B. subtilis MX-6 nattokinase production.

  8. 40 CFR 174.520 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein... Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  9. 40 CFR 174.520 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein... Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  10. 40 CFR 174.520 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein... Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  11. 40 CFR 174.520 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein... Cry1F protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  12. Activation of Antibiotic Production in Bacillus spp. by Cumulative Drug Resistance Mutations.

    PubMed

    Tojo, Shigeo; Tanaka, Yukinori; Ochi, Kozo

    2015-12-01

    Bacillus subtilis strains produce a wide range of antibiotics, including ribosomal and nonribosomal peptide antibiotics, as well as bacilysocin and neotrehalosadiamine. Mutations in B. subtilis strain 168 that conferred resistance to drugs such as streptomycin and rifampin resulted in overproduction of the dipeptide antibiotic bacilysin. Cumulative drug resistance mutations, such as mutations in the mthA and rpsL genes, which confer low- and high-level resistance, respectively, to streptomycin, and mutations in rpoB, which confer resistance to rifampin, resulted in cells that overproduced bacilysin. Transcriptional analysis demonstrated that the enhanced transcription of biosynthesis genes was responsible for the overproduction of bacilysin. This approach was effective also in activating the cryptic genes of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, leading to actual production of antibiotic(s). Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  13. Genetic Diversity among Bacillus anthracis Soil Isolates at Fine Geographic Scales

    PubMed Central

    Bader, Douglas E.

    2012-01-01

    Environmental samples were collected from carcass sites during and after anthrax outbreaks in 2000 and 2001 in the bison (Bison bison) population within Wood Buffalo National Park and the Hook Lake Region north of Wood Buffalo National Park. Bacillus anthracis spores were isolated from these samples and confirmed using phenotypic characterization and real-time PCR. Confirmed B. anthracis isolates were typed using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA15) and single-nucleotide-repeat analysis (SNRA). B. anthracis isolates split into two clades based on MLVA15, while SNRA allowed some isolates between carcass sites to be distinguished from each other. SNRA polymorphisms were also present within a single carcass site. Some isolates from different carcass sites having the same SNRA type had divergent MLVA types; this finding leads to questions about hierarchical typing methods and the robustness of the fine-scale typing of Bacillus anthracis. PMID:22773624

  14. Extraction of Copper from Malanjkhand Low-Grade Ore by Bacillus stearothermophilus.

    PubMed

    Singh, Sradhanjali; Sukla, Lala Behari; Mishra, Baroda Kanta

    2011-10-01

    Thermophilic bacteria are actively prevalent in hot water springs. Their potential to grow and sustain at higher temperatures makes them exceptional compare to other microorganism. The present study was initiated to isolate, identify and determine the feasibility of extraction of copper using thermophilic heterotrophic bacterial strain. Bacillus stearothermophilus is a thermophilic heterotrophic bacterium isolated from hot water spring, Atri, Orissa, India. This bacterium was adapted to low-grade chalcopyrite ore and its efficiency to solubilize copper from Malanjkhand low-grade ore was determined. The low-grade copper ore contains 0.27% Cu, in which the major copper-bearing mineral is chalcopyrite associated with other minerals present as minor phase. Variation in parameters such as pulp-density and temperatures were studied. After 30 days of incubation, it was found that Bacillus stearothermophilus solubilize copper up to 81.25% at pH 6.8 at 60°C.

  15. Biodegradation of crude oil by a defined co-culture of indigenous bacterial consortium and exogenous Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Tao, Kaiyun; Liu, Xiaoyan; Chen, Xueping; Hu, Xiaoxin; Cao, Liya; Yuan, Xiaoyu

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this work was to study biodegradation of crude oil by defined co-cultures of indigenous bacterial consortium and exogenous Bacillus subtilis. Through residual oil analysis, it is apparent that the defined co-culture displayed a degradation ratio (85.01%) superior to indigenous bacterial consortium (71.32%) after 7days of incubation when ratio of inoculation size of indigenous bacterial consortium and Bacillus subtilis was 2:1. Long-chain n-alkanes could be degraded markedly by Bacillus subtilis. Result analysis of the bacterial community showed that a decrease in bacterial diversity in the defined co-culture and the enrichment of Burkholderiales order (98.1%) degrading hydrocarbons. The research results revealed that the promising potential of the defined co-culture for application to degradation of crude oil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Photoinhibition of Phaeocystis globosa resulting from oxidative stress induced by a marine algicidal bacterium Bacillus sp. LP-10.

    PubMed

    Guan, Chengwei; Guo, Xiaoyun; Li, Yi; Zhang, Huajun; Lei, Xueqian; Cai, Guanjing; Guo, Jiajia; Yu, Zhiming; Zheng, Tianling

    2015-11-25

    Harmful algal blooms caused by Phaeocystis globosa have resulted in staggering losses to coastal countries because of their world-wide distribution. Bacteria have been studied for years to control the blooms of harmful alga, however, the action mechanism of them against harmful algal cells is still not well defined. Here, a previously isolated algicidal bacterium Bacillus sp. LP-10 was used to elucidate the potential mechanism involved in the dysfunction of P. globosa algal cells at physiological and molecular levels. Our results showed Bacillus sp. LP-10 induced an obvious rise of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was supposed to be major reason for algal cell death. Meanwhile, the results revealed a significant decrease of photosynthetic physiological indexes and apparent down-regulated of photosynthesis-related genes (psbA and rbcS) and protein (PSII reaction center protein D1), after treated by Bacillus sp. LP-10 filtrates, suggesting photoinhibition occurred in the algal cells. Furthermore, our results indicated that light played important roles in the algal cell death. Our work demonstrated that the major lethal reason of P. globosa cells treated by the algicidal bacterium was the photoinhibition resulted from oxidative stress induced by Bacillus sp. LP-10.

  17. PHYSIOLOGY OF NITROGEN FIXATION BY BACILLUS POLYMYXA

    PubMed Central

    Grau, F. H.; Wilson, P. W.

    1962-01-01

    Grau, F. H. (University of Wisconsin, Madison) and P. W. Wilson. Physiology of nitrogen fixation by Bacillus polymyxa. J. Bacteriol. 83:490–496. 1962.—Of 17 strains of Bacillus polymyxa tested for fixation of molecular nitrogen, 15 fixed considerable quantities (30 to 150 μg N/ml). Two strains of the closely related B. macerans did not use N2, but possibly other members of this species may do so. Confirmation of fixation was obtained by showing incorporation of N15 into cell material. Both iron and molybdenum are specifically required for fixation; without the addition of these metals to the nitrogen-free medium, the growth rate and the total nitrogen fixed were reduced about 30 to 50%. No requirement for added molybdenum could be shown when ammonia was the nitrogen source, and the absence of iron caused only a slight decrease in growth. Washed-cell suspensions of B. polymyxa containing an active hydrogenase readily incorporated N15 into cell materials when provided with mannitol, glucose, or pyruvate but not when formate was the substrate. Hydrogen is a specific inhibitor of fixation, reducing both the rate and final amount of nitrogen fixed; it did not reduce growth on ammonia. Fixation was strictly anaerobic, 1% oxygen in the gas phase being sufficient to stop fixation. Arsenate is a powerful inhibitor of fixation of N2 by washed-cell suspensions of B. polymyxa, indicating that high-energy phosphate may be significant for this process. PMID:13901244

  18. Fluorescent CdSe QDs containing Bacillus licheniformis bioprobes for Copper (II) detection in water.

    PubMed

    Yan, Zheng-Yu; Du, Qing-Qing; Wan, Dong-Yu; Lv, Hang; Cao, Zhi-Ran; Wu, Sheng-Mei

    2017-12-01

    Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) that offer valuable functionality for cellular labeling, drug delivery, solar cells and quantum computation. In this study, we reported that CdSe QDs could be bio-synthesized in Bacillus licheniformis. After optimization, the obtained CdSe QDs exhibited a uniform particle size of 3.71±0.04nm with a maximum fluorescence emission wavelength at 550nm and the synthetical positive ratio can reach up to 87%. Spectral properties, constitution, particle sizes and crystalline phases of the CdSe QDs were systematically and integrally investigated. The CdSe QD-containing Bacillus licheniformis cells were further used as whole fluorescent bio-probes to detect copper (II) (Cu 2+ ) in water, which demonstrated a low limit of detection (0.91μM). The assay also showed a good selectivity for Cu 2+ over other ions including Al 3+ , Cd 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + , Na + , NH 4 + , Zn 2+ , CH 3 COO + , Pb 2+ and I - . Our study suggests the fluorescent CdSe QDs-containing Bacillus licheniformis bio-probes as a promising approach for detection of Cu 2+ in complex solution environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Complete Genome Sequences for 35 Biothreat Assay-Relevant Bacillus Species

    DOE PAGES

    Johnson, Shannon L.; Daligault, Hajnalka E.; Davenport, Karen W.; ...

    2015-04-30

    In 2011, the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) International released a list of Bacillus strains relevant to biothreat molecular detection assays. Presented in this document are the complete and annotated genome assemblies for the 15 strains listed on the inclusivity panel, as well as the 20 strains listed on the exclusivity panel.

  20. Production of amino acids using auxotrophic mutants of methylotrophic bacillus

    DOEpatents

    Hanson, Richard S.; Flickinger, Michael C.; Schendel, Frederick J.; Guettler, Michael V.

    2001-07-17

    A method of producing amino acids by culturing an amino acid auxotroph of a biologically pure strain of a type I methylotrophic bacterium of the genus Bacillus which exhibits sustained growth at 50.degree. C. using methanol as a carbon and energy source and requiring vitamin B.sub.12 and biotin is provided.

  1. Phage Display of a Biologically Active Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin

    PubMed Central

    Kasman, Laura M.; Lukowiak, Andrew A.; Garczynski, Stephen F.; McNall, Rebecca J.; Youngman, Phil; Adang, Michael J.

    1998-01-01

    Activated forms of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal toxins have consistently been found to form insoluble and inactive precipitates when they are expressed in Escherichia coli. Genetic engineering of these proteins to improve their effectiveness as biological pesticides would be greatly facilitated by the ability to express them in E. coli, since the molecular biology tools available for Bacillus are limited. To this end, we show that activated B. thuringiensis toxin (Cry1Ac) can be expressed in E. coli as a translational fusion with the minor phage coat protein of filamentous phage. Phage particles displaying this fusion protein were viable, infectious, and as lethal as pure toxin on a molar basis when the phage particles were fed to insects susceptible to native Cry1Ac. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis showed the fusion protein to be antigenically equivalent to native toxin, and micropanning with anti-Cry1Ac antibody was positive for the toxin-expressing phage. Phage display of B. thuringiensis toxins has many advantages over previous expression systems for these proteins and should make it possible to construct large libraries of toxin variants for screening or biopanning. PMID:9687463

  2. Bacillus subtilis strain specificity affects performance improvement in broilers.

    PubMed

    Rhayat, L; Jacquier, V; Brinch, K S; Nielsen, P; Nelson, A; Geraert, P-A; Devillard, E

    2017-07-01

    The study reports the effects on broiler performance of a newly isolated Bacillus subtilis strain, which is phylogenetically not closely related to already well-described strains of B. subtilis. In the first experiment, birds were reared in battery cages and exposed to C. perfringens. An increase in growth performance was observed with the strain when compared to the challenged animals. Three additional growth trials were conducted to 35 d of age, in different rearing conditions (genetic breeds, corn-soybean meal-based diet with or without animal proteins, in presence or absence of phytase, on fresh or used litter) to investigate the efficacy and the specificity of this new B. subtilis strain on the improvement of BWG and FCR of broilers in comparison with a B. subtilis-based DFM already used in the field. Whatever the rearing conditions tested, the new B. subtilis strain led to an average 3.2% improvement in feed conversion ratio or bodyweight. Comparatively, the commercial Bacillus strain significantly improved broiler performance in only one trial out of 3 with an average improvement reaching 2%. All these results indicate that this new B. subtilis strain consistently improves broiler performances. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  3. Diversity of Bacillus-like bacterial community in the rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soil of halophytes (Salsola stocksii and Atriplex amnicola) and characterization of osmoregulatory genes in halophilic Bacilli.

    PubMed

    Mukhtar, Salma; Mehnaz, Samina; Mirza, Muhammad Sajjad; Mirza, Babur Saeed; Malik, Kauser Abdulla

    2018-04-27

    Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses, with a total of 3% of the world's land mass being affected by salinity. Approximately 6.3 million hectares of land in Pakistan is affected by salinity to varying degree and most of the areas are arid to semiarid with low annual precipitation. The aim of present study is to identify and characterize Bacillus and Bacillus-derived bacterial genera from the rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soil samples from Khewra Salt Mine, Pakistan by using culture-independent as well as culture-dependent methods. Seven Bacillus-like bacterial genera Bacillus, Halobacillus, Virgibacillus, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, Tumebacillus and Lysinibacillus were detected by using pyrosequencing analysis whereas only four genera Bacillus, Halobacillus, Oceanobacillus and Virgibacillus were identified by culture-dependent methods. Most of Bacillus-like isolates identified in this study were moderately halophilic, alkaliphilic and mesophilic bacteria and were considered as a good source of hydrolytic enzymes because of their ability to degrade proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. Eight Bacillus-like strains from the genera Bacillus, Halobacillus, Oceanobacillus and Virgibacillus showed positive results for the presence of ectABC gene cluster (ectoine), six strains could synthesize betaine from choline and six strains tested positive for the synthesis of proline from either glutamate or ornithine by using proline dehydrogenase enzyme.

  4. Surfactin A Production and Isoform Characterizations in Strains of Bacillus mojavensis for Potential Control of Fusarium verticillioides and Fumonisin in Maize

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus mojavensis, a species recently distinguished as a cryptic species within Bacillus subtilis, was discovered in maize kernels and later determined to possess endophytic characteristics. The bacterium was also determined to have biocontrol potential due to its strong antagonism to the fungus...

  5. Heterologous expression, biochemical characterization, and overproduction of alkaline α-amylase from Bacillus alcalophilus in Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Alkaline α-amylases have potential applications for hydrolyzing starch under high pH conditions in the starch and textile industries and as ingredients in detergents for automatic dishwashers and laundries. While the alkaline α-amylase gains increased industrial interest, the yield of alkaline α-amylases from wild-type microbes is low, and the combination of genetic engineering and process optimization is necessary to achieve the overproduction of alkaline α-amylase. Results The alkaline α-amylase gene from Bacillus alcalophilus JN21 (CCTCC NO. M 2011229) was cloned and expressed in Bacillus subtilis strain WB600 with vector pMA5. The recombinant alkaline α-amylase was stable at pH from 7.0 to 11.0 and temperature below 40°C. The optimum pH and temperature of alkaline α-amylase was 9.0 and 50°C, respectively. Using soluble starch as the substrate, the Km and Vmax of alkaline α-amylase were 9.64 g/L and 0.80 g/(L·min), respectively. The effects of medium compositions (starch, peptone, and soybean meal) and temperature on the recombinant production of alkaline α-amylase in B. subtilis were investigated. Under the optimal conditions (starch concentration 0.6% (w/v), peptone concentration 1.45% (w/v), soybean meal concentration 1.3% (w/v), and temperature 37°C), the highest yield of alkaline α-amylase reached 415 U/mL. The yield of alkaline α-amylase in a 3-L fermentor reached 441 U/mL, which was 79 times that of native alkaline α-amylase from B. alcalophilus JN21. Conclusions This is the first report concerning the heterologous expression of alkaline α-amylase in B. subtilis, and the obtained results make it feasible to achieve the industrial production of alkaline α-amylase with the recombinant B. subtilis. PMID:21978209

  6. Comparative sensitivity to UV-B radiation of two Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies and other Bacillus sp.

    PubMed

    Myasnik, M; Manasherob, R; Ben-Dov, E; Zaritsky, A; Margalith, Y; Barak, Z

    2001-08-01

    Susceptibility of Bacillus thuringiensis spores and toxins to the UV-B range (280--330 nm) of the solar spectrum reaching Earth's surface may be responsible for its inactivation and low persistence in nature. Spores of the mosquito larvicidal B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis were significantly more resistant to UV-B than spores of the lepidopteran-active subsp. kurstaki. Spores of subsp. israelensis were as resistant to UV-B as spores of B. subtilis and more resistant than spores of the closely related B. cereus and another mosquito larvicidal species B. sphaericus. Sensitivity of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis spores to UV-B radiation depended upon their culture age; 24-h cultures, approaching maximal larvicidal activity, were still sensitive. Maximal resistance to UV-B was achieved only at 48 h.

  7. Identification of diacetonamine from soybean curd residue as a sporulation-inducing factor toward Bacillus spp.

    PubMed

    Ikeda, Aki; Kim, Dongyeop; Hashidoko, Yasuyuki

    2017-12-01

    Under bioassay-guided investigation, a sporulation-inducing factor (SIF) toward Bacillus spp. was searched for in methanol (MeOH) extracts of soybean curd residues, and diacetonamine (1) was identified as the active compound. SIF was first isolated as a monoacetylated derivative (2, 4.1 mg from 655 g soybean curd residues), and its chemical structure was elucidated by field desorption mass spectrometry, electron ionization mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses. After 48-h incubation, 40 µM diacetonamine hydrochloride (1b) exhibited sporulation-inducing activity with 35% sporulation frequency toward a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens wild-type strain (AHU 2170), whereas 40 µM diacetone acrylamide (3) showed 99% sporulation induction, which was much higher than that of 1b. Although Bacillus megaterium NBRC 15308 was sporulated by the treatment with 400 µM 1b with 36 and 70% sporulation frequency after 72- and 96-h incubation respectively, 3 at the same concentration showed only 2% sporulation after 72-h incubation. Hence, diacetonamine (1) was characterized as a genuine SIF from soybean curd residues, but it was uncertain whether 1 is a natural product or an artifact. Spores of B. amyloliquefaciens induced by 1b survived after treatment with heating at 95 °C for 10 min, also suggesting that 1 is genuine SIF in soybean curd residue. As sporulation induction is likely linked to activation of antibiotic production in some spore-forming Firmicutes bacteria, compound 1 would be a possible chemical tool to develop an effective fermentation technology in Bacillus species.

  8. Global Microarray Analysis of Carbohydrate Use in Alkaliphilic Hemicellulolytic Bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5

    PubMed Central

    Song, Yajian; Xue, Yanfen; Ma, Yanhe

    2013-01-01

    The alkaliphilic hemicellulolytic bacterium Bacillus sp. N16-5 has a broad substrate spectrum and exhibits the capacity to utilize complex carbohydrates such as galactomannan, xylan, and pectin. In the monosaccharide mixture, sequential utilization by Bacillus sp. N16-5 was observed. Glucose appeared to be its preferential monosaccharide, followed by fructose, mannose, arabinose, xylose, and galactose. Global transcription profiles of the strain were determined separately for growth on six monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose, arabinose, and xylose) and four polysaccharides (galactomannan, xylan, pectin, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose) using one-color microarrays. Numerous genes potentially related to polysaccharide degradation, sugar transport, and monosaccharide metabolism were found to respond to a specific substrate. Putative gene clusters for different carbohydrates were identified according to transcriptional patterns and genome annotation. Identification and analysis of these gene clusters contributed to pathway reconstruction for carbohydrate utilization in Bacillus sp. N16-5. Several genes encoding putative sugar transporters were highly expressed during growth on specific sugars, suggesting their functional roles. Two phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase systems were identified as candidate transporters for mannose and fructose, and a major facilitator superfamily transporter was identified as a candidate transporter for arabinose and xylose. Five carbohydrate uptake transporter 1 family ATP-binding cassette transporters were predicted to participate in the uptake of hemicellulose and pectin degradation products. Collectively, microarray data improved the pathway reconstruction involved in carbohydrate utilization of Bacillus sp. N16-5 and revealed that the organism precisely regulates gene transcription in response to fluctuations in energy resources. PMID:23326578

  9. Re-examination of the taxonomic position of Bacillus silvestris Rheims et al. 1999 and proposal to transfer it to Solibacillus gen. nov. as Solibacillus silvestris comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Krishnamurthi, Srinivasan; Chakrabarti, Tapan; Stackebrandt, Erko

    2009-05-01

    Following the transfer of three of the six species enclosed in the original definition of rRNA group 2 of Bacillus to the genus Sporosarcina and two to Lysinibacillus, other species of this group, some of which were added later, still await taxonomic revision. In a recent publication, a set of 'core' characteristics was proposed for species to be included in the genus Bacillus (Kämpfer et al., 2006). Except for Bacillus silvestris, however, several or none of these properties are available for members of rRNA group 2. According to our analysis of data including the 'core' characteristics, Bacillus silvestris should not be a member of the genus Bacillus. We therefore propose the establishment of a new genus, Solibacillus gen. nov., and transfer Bacillus silvestris to this genus as Solibacillus silvestris comb. nov., with the type strain HR3-23(T) (=DSM 12223(T)=ATCC BAA-269(T)=CIP 106059(T)).

  10. STUDIES ON EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMONIA : IX. PRODUCTION IN MONKEYS OF AN ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISEASE RESEMBLING INFLUENZA BY INOCULATION WITH BACILLUS INFLUENZAE.

    PubMed

    Blake, F G; Cecil, R L

    1920-11-30

    Twelve normal monkeys inoculated on the mucous membranes of the nose or nose and mouth with a strain of Bacillus influenzae; originally isolated in pure culture from the pleural exudate of a case of empyema following influenzal pneumonia in man and subsequently raised in virulence by animal passage, developed an acute self-limited respiratory disease of from 3 to 5 days duration, characterized by sudden onset with profound prostration, the development of rhinitis and tracheobronchitis, with sneezing, cough, and the outpouring of a scanty mucoid, or mucopurulent exudate, a variable febrile reaction, and either a leucopenia or no significant change in the leucocyte count. This disease was complicated in five instances by purulent sinusitis of one or both antra, in three by bronchopneumonia. Bacillus influenzae was recovered at autopsy from the lesions of the disease either in pure culture or in association with organisms that are normal inhabitants of the upper respiratory tract of monkeys. Of ten normal monkeys injected intratracheally with the same strain of Bacillus influenzae, seven developed bronchopneumonia, two developed tracheobronchitis without pneumonia, and one resisted infection. The general symptoms and duration of the disease were similar to those of the preceding group. There were a severe cough and accelerated respirations. Bacillus influenzae was recovered in pure culture from the lungs, bronchi, or trachea in the animals killed during the active stage of the disease. It disappeared promptly from the respiratory tract with recovery. The significance of the first series of experiments in which monkeys were inoculated in the upper respiratory tract is twofold. First, they establish the fact that Bacillus influenzae can initiate in monkeys an acute infection of the normal mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract; that is, it can act as a primary incitant of respiratory infection without the assistance of a preceding or concomitant contributing

  11. Architecture and assembly of the Bacillus subtilis spore coat.

    PubMed

    Plomp, Marco; Carroll, Alicia Monroe; Setlow, Peter; Malkin, Alexander J

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus spores are encased in a multilayer, proteinaceous self-assembled coat structure that assists in protecting the bacterial genome from stresses and consists of at least 70 proteins. The elucidation of Bacillus spore coat assembly, architecture, and function is critical to determining mechanisms of spore pathogenesis, environmental resistance, immune response, and physicochemical properties. Recently, genetic, biochemical and microscopy methods have provided new insight into spore coat architecture, assembly, structure and function. However, detailed spore coat architecture and assembly, comprehensive understanding of the proteomic composition of coat layers, and specific roles of coat proteins in coat assembly and their precise localization within the coat remain in question. In this study, atomic force microscopy was used to probe the coat structure of Bacillus subtilis wild type and cotA, cotB, safA, cotH, cotO, cotE, gerE, and cotE gerE spores. This approach provided high-resolution visualization of the various spore coat structures, new insight into the function of specific coat proteins, and enabled the development of a detailed model of spore coat architecture. This model is consistent with a recently reported four-layer coat assembly and further adds several coat layers not reported previously. The coat is organized starting from the outside into an outermost amorphous (crust) layer, a rodlet layer, a honeycomb layer, a fibrous layer, a layer of "nanodot" particles, a multilayer assembly, and finally the undercoat/basement layer. We propose that the assembly of the previously unreported fibrous layer, which we link to the darkly stained outer coat seen by electron microscopy, and the nanodot layer are cotH- and cotE- dependent and cotE-specific respectively. We further propose that the inner coat multilayer structure is crystalline with its apparent two-dimensional (2D) nuclei being the first example of a non-mineral 2D nucleation crystallization

  12. Architecture and Assembly of the Bacillus subtilis Spore Coat

    PubMed Central

    Plomp, Marco; Carroll, Alicia Monroe; Setlow, Peter; Malkin, Alexander J.

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus spores are encased in a multilayer, proteinaceous self-assembled coat structure that assists in protecting the bacterial genome from stresses and consists of at least 70 proteins. The elucidation of Bacillus spore coat assembly, architecture, and function is critical to determining mechanisms of spore pathogenesis, environmental resistance, immune response, and physicochemical properties. Recently, genetic, biochemical and microscopy methods have provided new insight into spore coat architecture, assembly, structure and function. However, detailed spore coat architecture and assembly, comprehensive understanding of the proteomic composition of coat layers, and specific roles of coat proteins in coat assembly and their precise localization within the coat remain in question. In this study, atomic force microscopy was used to probe the coat structure of Bacillus subtilis wild type and cotA, cotB, safA, cotH, cotO, cotE, gerE, and cotE gerE spores. This approach provided high-resolution visualization of the various spore coat structures, new insight into the function of specific coat proteins, and enabled the development of a detailed model of spore coat architecture. This model is consistent with a recently reported four-layer coat assembly and further adds several coat layers not reported previously. The coat is organized starting from the outside into an outermost amorphous (crust) layer, a rodlet layer, a honeycomb layer, a fibrous layer, a layer of “nanodot” particles, a multilayer assembly, and finally the undercoat/basement layer. We propose that the assembly of the previously unreported fibrous layer, which we link to the darkly stained outer coat seen by electron microscopy, and the nanodot layer are cotH- and cotE- dependent and cotE-specific respectively. We further propose that the inner coat multilayer structure is crystalline with its apparent two-dimensional (2D) nuclei being the first example of a non-mineral 2D nucleation crystallization

  13. Evaluation of sampling methods for Bacillus spore-contaminated HVAC filters

    PubMed Central

    Calfee, M. Worth; Rose, Laura J.; Tufts, Jenia; Morse, Stephen; Clayton, Matt; Touati, Abderrahmane; Griffin-Gatchalian, Nicole; Slone, Christina; McSweeney, Neal

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare an extraction-based sampling method to two vacuum-based sampling methods (vacuum sock and 37 mm cassette filter) with regards to their ability to recover Bacillus atrophaeus spores (surrogate for Bacillus anthracis) from pleated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filters that are typically found in commercial and residential buildings. Electrostatic and mechanical HVAC filters were tested, both without and after loading with dust to 50% of their total holding capacity. The results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA across material types, presence or absence of dust, and sampling device. The extraction method gave higher relative recoveries than the two vacuum methods evaluated (p ≤ 0.001). On average, recoveries obtained by the vacuum methods were about 30% of those achieved by the extraction method. Relative recoveries between the two vacuum methods were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Although extraction methods yielded higher recoveries than vacuum methods, either HVAC filter sampling approach may provide a rapid and inexpensive mechanism for understanding the extent of contamination following a wide-area biological release incident. PMID:24184312

  14. Molecular analysis of mercury-resistant Bacillus isolates from sediment of Minamata Bay, Japan.

    PubMed Central

    Nakamura, K; Silver, S

    1994-01-01

    Bacillus isolates from Minamata Bay sediment were selected for the ability to volatilize mercury from a range of organomercurials (including methylmercury). Chromosomal DNA from 74 of 78 such strains hybridized with the mer mercury resistance operon DNA from marine Bacillus sp. strain RC607 (Y. Wang, M. Moore, H. S. Levinson, S. Silver, C. Walsh, and I. Mahler, J. Bacteriol. 171:83-92, 1989). The most frequent classes with regard to restriction nuclease site maps of the mer operon for the new isolates were identical to or closely related to the mer determinant of strain RC607. PCR amplification analysis with primers designed from the strain RC607 mer operon gave products of precisely the predicted size with the 74 Minamata Bay isolates. Images PMID:7811095

  15. Probiotic Bacillus cereus Strains, a Potential Risk for Public Health in China

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Kui; Hölzel, Christina S.; Cui, Yifang; Mayer, Ricarda; Wang, Yang; Dietrich, Richard; Didier, Andrea; Bassitta, Rupert; Märtlbauer, Erwin; Ding, Shuangyang

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus cereus is an important cause of foodborne infectious disease and food poisoning. However, B. cereus has also been used as a probiotic in human medicine and livestock production, with low standards of safety assessment. In this study, we evaluated the safety of 15 commercial probiotic B. cereus preparations from China in terms of mislabeling, toxin production, and transferable antimicrobial resistance. Most preparations were incorrectly labeled, as they contained additional bacterial species; one product did not contain viable B. cereus at all. In total, 18 B. cereus group strains—specifically B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis—were isolated. Enterotoxin genes nhe, hbl, and cytK1, as well as the ces-gene were assessed by PCR. Enterotoxin production and cytotoxicity were confirmed by ELISA and cell culture assays, respectively. All isolated B. cereus group strains produced the enterotoxin Nhe; 15 strains additionally produced Hbl. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed by microdilution; resistance genes were detected by PCR and further characterized by sequencing, transformation and conjugation assays. Nearly half of the strains harbored the antimicrobial resistance gene tet(45). In one strain, tet(45) was situated on a mobile genetic element—encoding a site-specific recombination mechanism—and was transferable to Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis by electro-transformation. In view of the wide and uncontrolled use of these products, stricter regulations for safety assessment, including determination of virulence factors and transferable antimicrobial resistance genes, are urgently needed. PMID:27242738

  16. Cyclic lipopeptide signature as fingerprinting for the screening of halotolerant Bacillus strains towards microbial enhanced oil recovery.

    PubMed

    Farias, Bárbara C S; Hissa, Denise C; do Nascimento, Camila T M; Oliveira, Samuel A; Zampieri, Davila; Eberlin, Marcos N; Migueleti, Deivid L S; Martins, Luiz F; Sousa, Maíra P; Moyses, Danuza N; Melo, Vânia M M

    2018-02-01

    Cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) are non-ribosomal biosurfactants produced by Bacillus species that exhibit outstanding interfacial activity. The synthesis of CLPs is under genetic and environmental influence, and representatives from different families are generally co-produced, generating isoforms that differ in chemical structure and biological activities. This study to evaluate the effect of low and high NaCl concentrations on the composition and surface activity of CLPs produced by Bacillus strains TIM27, TIM49, TIM68, and ICA13 towards microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). The strains were evaluated in mineral medium containing NaCl 2.7, 66, or 100 g L -1 and growth, surface tension and emulsification activity were monitored. Based on the analysis of 16S rDNA, gyrB and rpoB sequences TIM27 and TIM49 were assigned to Bacillus subtilis, TIM68 to Bacillus vallismortis, and ICA13 to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. All strains tolerated up to 100-g L -1 NaCl, but only TIM49 and TIM68 were able to reduce surface tension at this concentration. TIM49 also showed emulsification activity at concentrations up to 66-g L -1 NaCl. ESI-MS analysis showed that the strains produced a mixture of CLPs, which presented distinct CLP profiles at low and high NaCl concentrations. High NaCl concentration favored the synthesis of surfactins and/or fengycins that correlated with the surface activities of TIM49 and TIM68, whereas low concentration favored the synthesis of iturins. Taken together, these findings suggest that the determination of CLP signatures under the expected condition of oil reservoirs can be useful in the guidance for choosing well-suited strains to MEOR.

  17. Genomic Analysis of Bacillus sp. Strain B25, a Biocontrol Agent of Maize Pathogen Fusarium verticillioides.

    PubMed

    Douriet-Gámez, Nadia R; Maldonado-Mendoza, Ignacio E; Ibarra-Laclette, Enrique; Blom, Jochen; Calderón-Vázquez, Carlos L

    2018-03-01

    Bacillus sp. B25 is an effective biocontrol agent against the maize pathogenic fungus Fusarium verticillioides (Fv). Previous in vitro assays have shown that B25 has protease, glucanase, and chitinase activities and siderophores production; however, specific mechanisms by which B25 controls Fv are still unknown. To determine the genetic traits involved in biocontrol, B25 genome was sequenced and analyzed. B25 genome is composed of 5,113,413 bp and 5251 coding genes. A multilocus phylogenetic analysis (MLPA) suggests that B25 is closely related to the Bacillus cereus group and a high percentage (70-75%) of the genetic information is conserved between B25 and related strains, which include most of the genes associated to fungal antagonism. Some of these genes are shared with some biocontrol agents of the Bacillus genus and less with Pseudomonas and Serratia strains. We performed a genomic comparison between B25 and five Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas and Serratia strains. B25 contains genes involved in a wide variety of antagonistic mechanisms including chitinases, glycoside hydrolases, siderophores, antibiotics, and biofilm production that could be implicated in root colonization. Also, 24 genomic islands and 3 CRISPR sequences were identified in the B25 genome. This is the first comparative genome analysis between strains belonging to the B. cereus group and biocontrol agents of phytopathogenic fungi. These results are the starting point for further studies on B25 gene expression during its interaction with Fv.

  18. Amylocyclicin, a Novel Circular Bacteriocin Produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42

    PubMed Central

    Scholz, Romy; Vater, Joachim; Budiharjo, Anto; Wang, Zhiyuan; He, Yueqiu; Dietel, Kristin; Schwecke, Torsten; Herfort, Stefanie; Lasch, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a Gram-positive plant growth-promoting bacterium with an impressive capacity to synthesize nonribosomal secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity. Here we report on a novel circular bacteriocin which is ribosomally synthesized by FZB42. The compound displayed high antibacterial activity against closely related Gram-positive bacteria. Transposon mutagenesis and subsequent site-specific mutagenesis combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectroscopy revealed that a cluster of six genes covering 4,490 bp was responsible for the production, modification, and export of and immunity to an antibacterial compound, here designated amylocyclicin, with a molecular mass of 6,381 Da. Peptide sequencing of the fragments obtained after tryptic digestion of the purified peptide revealed posttranslational cleavage of an N-terminal extension and head-to-tail circularization of the novel bacteriocin. Homology to other putative circular bacteriocins in related bacteria let us assume that this type of peptide is widespread among the Bacillus/Paenibacillus taxon. PMID:24610713

  19. Combined action of nisin and carvacrol on Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes.

    PubMed

    Pol, I E; Smid, E J

    1999-09-01

    Nisin, a small antimicrobial protein, was tested for its bactericidal action against Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus and a typical biphasic reduction of the viable count was observed. The reduction was most fast during the first 10 min of exposure, while the viable count remained stable in the last part of the exposure period. Bacillus cereus was more sensitive towards nisin than L. monocytogenes and the inhibitory effect of nisin was stronger towards cells cultivated and exposed at 8 degrees C than towards cells cultivated and exposed at 20 degrees C. Combining nisin with sublethal doses of carvacrol resulted in an increased reduction in the viable count of both organisms, indicating synergy between nisin and carvacrol. Addition of lysozyme as a third preservative factor increased the synergistic effect between nisin and carvone, especially in the last part of the exposure period.

  20. Production, optimization and characterization of fibrinolytic enzyme by Bacillus subtilis RJAS19.

    PubMed

    Kumar, D J Mukesh; Rakshitha, R; Vidhya, M Annu; Jennifer, P Sharon; Prasad, Sandip; Kumar, M Ravi; Kalaichelvan, P T

    2014-04-01

    The present study aimed at the production, purification and characterization of fibrinolytic nattokinase enzyme from the bacteria isolated from natto food. For the purpose, a fibrinolytic bacterium was isolated and identified as Bacillus subtilis based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The strain was employed for the production and optimization of fibrinolytic enzyme. The strain showed better enzyme production during 72nd h of incubation time with 50 degrees C at the pH 9. The lactose and peptone were found to be increasing the enzyme production rate. The enzyme produced was purified and also characterized with the help of SDS-PAGE analysis. The activity and stability profile of the purified enzyme was tested against different temperature and pH. The observations suggesting that the potential of fibrinolytic enzyme produced by Bacillus subtilis RJAS 19 for its applications in preventive medicines.

  1. Thiopeptide antibiotics stimulate biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Bleich, Rachel; Watrous, Jeramie D; Dorrestein, Pieter C; Bowers, Albert A; Shank, Elizabeth A

    2015-03-10

    Bacteria have evolved the ability to produce a wide range of structurally complex natural products historically called "secondary" metabolites. Although some of these compounds have been identified as bacterial communication cues, more frequently natural products are scrutinized for antibiotic activities that are relevant to human health. However, there has been little regard for how these compounds might otherwise impact the physiology of neighboring microbes present in complex communities. Bacillus cereus secretes molecules that activate expression of biofilm genes in Bacillus subtilis. Here, we use imaging mass spectrometry to identify the thiocillins, a group of thiazolyl peptide antibiotics, as biofilm matrix-inducing compounds produced by B. cereus. We found that thiocillin increased the population of matrix-producing B. subtilis cells and that this activity could be abolished by multiple structural alterations. Importantly, a mutation that eliminated thiocillin's antibiotic activity did not affect its ability to induce biofilm gene expression in B. subtilis. We go on to show that biofilm induction appears to be a general phenomenon of multiple structurally diverse thiazolyl peptides and use this activity to confirm the presence of thiazolyl peptide gene clusters in other bacterial species. Our results indicate that the roles of secondary metabolites initially identified as antibiotics may have more complex effects--acting not only as killing agents, but also as specific modulators of microbial cellular phenotypes.

  2. Thiopeptide antibiotics stimulate biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Bleich, Rachel; Watrous, Jeramie D.; Dorrestein, Pieter C.; Bowers, Albert A.; Shank, Elizabeth A.

    2015-01-01

    Bacteria have evolved the ability to produce a wide range of structurally complex natural products historically called “secondary” metabolites. Although some of these compounds have been identified as bacterial communication cues, more frequently natural products are scrutinized for antibiotic activities that are relevant to human health. However, there has been little regard for how these compounds might otherwise impact the physiology of neighboring microbes present in complex communities. Bacillus cereus secretes molecules that activate expression of biofilm genes in Bacillus subtilis. Here, we use imaging mass spectrometry to identify the thiocillins, a group of thiazolyl peptide antibiotics, as biofilm matrix-inducing compounds produced by B. cereus. We found that thiocillin increased the population of matrix-producing B. subtilis cells and that this activity could be abolished by multiple structural alterations. Importantly, a mutation that eliminated thiocillin’s antibiotic activity did not affect its ability to induce biofilm gene expression in B. subtilis. We go on to show that biofilm induction appears to be a general phenomenon of multiple structurally diverse thiazolyl peptides and use this activity to confirm the presence of thiazolyl peptide gene clusters in other bacterial species. Our results indicate that the roles of secondary metabolites initially identified as antibiotics may have more complex effects—acting not only as killing agents, but also as specific modulators of microbial cellular phenotypes. PMID:25713360

  3. Plant Growth Enhancement, Disease Resistance, and Elemental Modulatory Effects of Plant Probiotic Endophytic Bacillus sp. Fcl1.

    PubMed

    Jayakumar, Aswathy; Krishna, Arathy; Mohan, Mahesh; Nair, Indu C; Radhakrishnan, E K

    2018-04-13

    Endophytic bacteria have already been studied for their beneficial support to plants to manage both biotic and abiotic stress through an array of well-established mechanisms. They have either direct or indirect impact on mobilizing diverse nutrients and elements from soil to plants. However, detailed insight into the fine-tuning of plant elemental composition by associated microorganism is very limited. In this study, endophytic Bacillus Fcl1 characterized from the rhizome of Curcuma longa was found to have broad range of plant growth-promoting and biocontrol mechanisms. The organism was found to have indole acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase production properties along with nitrogen fixation. The Bacillus Fcl1 could also inhibit diverse phytopathogens as confirmed by dual culture and well diffusion. By LC-MS/MS analysis, chemical basis of its antifungal activity has been proved to be due to the production of iturin A and a blend of surfactin compounds. Moreover, the organism was found to induce both plant growth and disease resistance in vivo in model plant system. Because of these experimentally demonstrated multiple plant probiotic features, Bacillus Fcl1 was selected as a candidate organism to study its role in modulation of plant elemental composition. ICP-MS analysis of Bacillus Fcl1-treated plants provided insight into relation of bacterial interaction with elemental composition of plants.

  4. 40 CFR 174.510 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein... Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  5. 40 CFR 174.511 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein... Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  6. 40 CFR 174.510 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein... Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  7. 40 CFR 174.511 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein... Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  8. 40 CFR 174.511 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein... Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  9. 40 CFR 174.511 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein... Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  10. 40 CFR 174.510 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein... Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  11. 40 CFR 174.510 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein... Cry1Ac protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ac protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  12. 40 CFR 174.511 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein... Cry1Ab protein in all plants; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein in all plants are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant...

  13. Bacillus coagulans: a viable adjunct therapy for relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis according to a randomized, controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Mandel, David R; Eichas, Katy; Holmes, Judith

    2010-01-12

    Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) probiotics demonstrate immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory effects and the ability to lessen the symptoms of arthritis in both animals and humans. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, clinical pilot trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of the LAB probiotic preparation, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086, on symptoms and measures of functional capacity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in combination with pharmacological anti-arthritic medications. Forty-five adult men and women with symptoms of RA were randomly assigned to receive Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 or placebo once a day in a double-blind fashion for 60 days in addition to their standard anti-arthritic medications. Arthritis activity was evaluated by clinical examination, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and laboratory tests for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Subjects who received Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 experienced borderline statistically significant improvement in the Patient Pain Assessment score (P = .052) and statistically significant improvement in Pain Scale (P = .046) vs placebo. Compared with placebo, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 treatment resulted in greater improvement in patient global assessment and self-assessed disability; reduction in CRP; as well as the ability to walk 2 miles, reach, and participate in daily activities. There were no treatment-related adverse events reported throughout this study. Results of this pilot study suggest that adjunctive treatment with Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 LAB probiotic appeared to be a safe and effective for patients suffering from RA. Because of the low study population size, larger trials are needed to verify these results. ACTRN12609000435280.

  14. Isolation and molecular characterization of thermostable phytase from Bacillus subtilis (BSPhyARRMK33).

    PubMed

    Reddy, Chinreddy Subramanyam; Achary, V Mohan Murali; Manna, Mrinalini; Singh, Jitender; Kaul, Tanushri; Reddy, Malireddy K

    2015-03-01

    The thermostable phytase gene was isolated from Bacillus subtilis ARRMK33 (BsPhyARRMK33). The gene has an ORF of 1152 bp and that encodes a protein of 383 amino acids. Sequence analysis showed high homology with Bacillus sp. phytase proteins, but no similarity was found with other phytases. SDS-PAGE analysis exhibited a predicted molecular mass of 42 kDa. Homology modeling of BsPhyARRMK33 protein based on Bacillus amyloliquefaciens crystal structure disclosed its β-propeller structure. BsPhyARRMK33 recombinant plasmid in pET-28a(+) was expressed in Rosetta gami B DE3 cells and the maximum phytase activity 15.3 U mg(-1) obtained. The enzyme exhibits high thermostability at various temperatures and broad pH ranges. The recombinant protein retained 74% of its original activity after incubation at 95 °C for 10 min. In the presence of Ca(2+), the recombinant phytase activity was maximal where as it was inhibited by EDTA. The optimal pH and temperature for the recombinant phytase activity is achieved at 7.0 and 55 °C, respectively. Thermostable nature and wide range of pH are promising features of recombinant BsPhyARRMK33 protein that may be employed as an efficient alternative to commercially known phytases and thereby alleviate environmental eutrophication.

  15. Photoinhibition of Phaeocystis globosa resulting from oxidative stress induced by a marine algicidal bacterium Bacillus sp. LP-10

    PubMed Central

    Guan, Chengwei; Guo, Xiaoyun; Li, Yi; Zhang, Huajun; Lei, Xueqian; Cai, Guanjing; Guo, Jiajia; Yu, Zhiming; Zheng, Tianling

    2015-01-01

    Harmful algal blooms caused by Phaeocystis globosa have resulted in staggering losses to coastal countries because of their world-wide distribution. Bacteria have been studied for years to control the blooms of harmful alga, however, the action mechanism of them against harmful algal cells is still not well defined. Here, a previously isolated algicidal bacterium Bacillus sp. LP-10 was used to elucidate the potential mechanism involved in the dysfunction of P. globosa algal cells at physiological and molecular levels. Our results showed Bacillus sp. LP-10 induced an obvious rise of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which was supposed to be major reason for algal cell death. Meanwhile, the results revealed a significant decrease of photosynthetic physiological indexes and apparent down-regulated of photosynthesis-related genes (psbA and rbcS) and protein (PSII reaction center protein D1), after treated by Bacillus sp. LP-10 filtrates, suggesting photoinhibition occurred in the algal cells. Furthermore, our results indicated that light played important roles in the algal cell death. Our work demonstrated that the major lethal reason of P. globosa cells treated by the algicidal bacterium was the photoinhibition resulted from oxidative stress induced by Bacillus sp. LP-10. PMID:26601700

  16. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin with or without interferon α-2b and megadose versus recommended daily allowance vitamins during induction and maintenance intravesical treatment of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.

    PubMed

    Nepple, Kenneth G; Lightfoot, Andrew J; Rosevear, Henry M; O'Donnell, Michael A; Lamm, Donald L

    2010-11-01

    In a multicenter, prospectively randomized study we evaluated bacillus Calmette-Guérin alone vs bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon α-2b and megadose vitamins vs recommended daily allowance vitamins during induction and maintenance intravesical therapy in the treatment of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. Patients who were bacillus Calmette-Guérin naïve with carcinoma in situ, Ta or T1 urothelial cancer were randomized to receive intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin or bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon α-2b. Patients were further randomized to receive a recommended daily allowance or megadose vitamin preparation. Induction bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment was given weekly for 6 weeks, and patients who were recurrence-free received maintenance treatment at 4, 7, 13, 19, 25 and 37 months. Patients were followed with quarterly cystoscopy for 2 years, then semiannually through year 4 and then annually. The primary end point was biopsy confirmed tumor recurrence or positive cytology. A total of 670 patients were accrued and randomized. At 24-month median followup recurrence-free survival was similar in all groups with 63% in the bacillus Calmette-Guérin with recommended daily allowance vitamins group, 59% in bacillus Calmette-Guérin with megadose vitamins, 55% in bacillus Calmette-Guérin/interferon α-2b with recommended daily allowance vitamins and 61% in bacillus Calmette-Guérin/interferon α-2b with megadose vitamins (p >0.05). The addition of interferon α-2b was associated with a more frequent incidence of fever (11% vs 5%) and constitutional symptoms (18% vs 11%) vs bacillus Calmette-Guérin alone (p <0.05). Interferon α-2b added to bacillus Calmette-Guérin induction and maintenance intravesical therapy did not decrease tumor recurrence in bacillus Calmette-Guérin naïve cases, but was associated with increased fever and constitutional symptoms. No difference in time to recurrence was present in patients receiving recommended daily

  17. 40 CFR 174.518 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein... Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  18. 40 CFR 174.518 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein... Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  19. Genome sequence of the thermophilic strain Bacillus coagulans 2-6, an efficient producer of high-optical-purity L-lactic acid.

    PubMed

    Su, Fei; Yu, Bo; Sun, Jibin; Ou, Hong-Yu; Zhao, Bo; Wang, Limin; Qin, Jiayang; Tang, Hongzhi; Tao, Fei; Jarek, Michael; Scharfe, Maren; Ma, Cuiqing; Ma, Yanhe; Xu, Ping

    2011-09-01

    Bacillus coagulans 2-6 is an efficient producer of lactic acid. The genome of B. coagulans 2-6 has the smallest genome among the members of the genus Bacillus known to date. The frameshift mutation at the start of the d-lactate dehydrogenase sequence might be responsible for the production of high-optical-purity l-lactic acid.

  20. 40 CFR 174.518 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein... Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  1. 40 CFR 174.518 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein... Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  2. 40 CFR 174.518 - Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein... Cry3Bb1 protein in corn; exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. Residues of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein in corn are exempt from the requirement of a tolerance when used as plant-incorporated...

  3. Antimicrobial and plant growth-promoting properties of the cacao endophyte Bacillus subtilis ALB629.

    PubMed

    Falcäo, L L; Silva-Werneck, J O; Vilarinho, B R; da Silva, J P; Pomella, A W V; Marcellino, L H

    2014-06-01

    To investigate the effects of the endophyte Bacillus subtilisALB629 on the growth of cacao seedlings at early developmental stage and to evaluate its antimicrobial properties. Germinating cacao seeds were inoculated with ALB629, and seedlings growth was evaluated 30 days later. Significant increase (P < 0·05) was observed in the root system (up to 30%), leaf area (14%) and stem height (7·6%). ALB629 colonized the entire plant, prevailing over indigenous micro-organisms. In addition, it was tested in vitro, by pairing assays, and showed antagonistic effect against the phytopathogenic fungi Moniliophthora perniciosa, Colletotrichum sp. and C. gossypii. When tested in cacao-grafting procedure in the field, ALB629 increased the grafting success rate (24%), indicating its protective effect. In addition, this Bacillus secretes an antagonist compound, as shown by the antifungal activity of the cell-free culture. Bacillus subtilisALB629 promotes cacao root growth, besides promoting growth of the aerial part of cacao seedlings. It has antimicrobial properties and produces an antifungal compound. ALB629 presented beneficial characteristics for cacao cultivation, being a good biological control agent candidate. Furthermore, it is a potential source of antifungal compound with potential for commercial exploitation. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  4. A Bacillus sp. strain with antagonistic activity against Fusarium graminearum kills Microcystis aeruginosa selectively.

    PubMed

    Xuan, Huanling; Dai, Xianzhu; Li, Jing; Zhang, Xiaohui; Yang, Caiyun; Luo, Feng

    2017-04-01

    Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) cause severe environmental problems, economic losses and threaten human health seriously. In the present study, a Bacillus sp. strain, designated as AF-1, with strong antagonistic activity against plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum was isolated from purple soil. Bacillus sp. AF-1 selectively killed Microcystis aeruginosa at low cell density (1.6×10 3 cfu/mL), and showed the strongest bactericidal activity against M. aeruginosa NIES-843 (A e =93%, t=6d). The algicidal substances originated from strain AF-1 were stable in the temperature range of 35-100°C, and pH range of 3-11. Cell-free filtrate of AF-1 culture caused excessive accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell death and the efflux of intracellular components of M. aeruginosa NIES-843 cells. The expression of genes recA, psbA1, psbD1, rbcL and mcyB, involved in DNA repair, photosynthesis and microcystin synthesis of NIES 843, were significantly influenced by the cell-free filtrate of AF-1 culture. Bacillus sp. AF-1 has the potential to be developed as a bifunctional biocontrol agent to control CyanoHABs and F. graminearum caused plant disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Isolation of potential probiotic Bacillus spp. and assessment of their subcellular components to induce immune responses in Labeo rohita against Aeromonas hydrophila.

    PubMed

    Ramesh, Dharmaraj; Vinothkanna, Annadurai; Rai, Amit Kumar; Vignesh, Venkada Subramanian

    2015-08-01

    Bacillus species isolated from the gut of healthy Labeo rohita (Hamilton) were screened for antibacterial activity against selected fish pathogens. Among the isolates, KADR5 and KADR6 showed antibacterial activity, tolerated low pH and high bile concentrations and were susceptibility to various antibiotics. Based on morphological and biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene analysis the probiotic strains KADR5 and KADR6 were identified as Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus pumilus, respectively. The immune stimulatory effect of subcellular components of probiotic Bacillus licheniformis KADR5 and Bacillus pumilus KADR6 in L. rohita against Aeromonas hydrophila infection was studied. Fish were immunized intraperitoneally in case of subcellular components [cell wall proteins (CWPs), extracellular proteins (ECPs), whole cell proteins (WCPs)] and orally in case of live cells (10(8) CFU/g of feed). After 14th day of administration, fishes from each group were challenged intraperitoneally with 0.1 ml of A. hydrophila cell suspension in PBS (10(5) cells ml(-1)). Groups immunized with subcellular components and live cells had significantly lower mortalities of 20-40% and 23-33%, respectively in comparison to control (80% mortality). The non specific immune factors in the cellular components and viable cells of the probiotics increased the expression of lysozyme and respiratory burst. Use of WCPs and CWPs resulted in better protection against A. hydrophila in L. rohita. Our results clearly reflect the potential of cellular components of the probiotics Bacillus species for the protection of fish against A. hydrophila infection by enhancing the immune response. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. A probiotic Bacillus strain containing amorphous poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) stimulates the innate immune response of Penaeus monodon postlarvae.

    PubMed

    Laranja, Joseph Leopoldo Q; Amar, Edgar C; Ludevese-Pascual, Gladys L; Niu, Yufeng; Geaga, Mary Joy; De Schryver, Peter; Bossier, Peter

    2017-09-01

    In this study, the PHB-accumulating Bacillus sp. JL47 strain (capable of accumulating 55% PHB on cell dry weight) was investigated for its effects on the immune response of giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) postlarvae (PL) before and after the Vibrio campbellii challenge. Briefly, shrimp PL were cultured and fed with Artemia nauplii enriched with Bacillus sp. JL47. Shrimp receiving the Artemia nauplii without JL47 enrichment were used as control. After 15 days of feeding, the shrimp were challenged with pathogenic V. campbellii LMG 21363 at 10 6  cells mL -1 by immersion. Relative expression of the immune related genes encoding for prophenoloxidase (proPO), transglutaminase (TGase) and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in the shrimp were measured before (0 h) and after (3, 6, 9, 12, 24 h) the Vibrio challenge by quantitative real-time PCR using β-actin as the reference gene. The expressions of TGase and proPO were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) within 9 h and 12 h, respectively after challenge in shrimp receiving the Bacillus sp. JL47 as compared to the challenged and non-challenged controls. Hsp70 expression was significantly increased (p < 0.05) at 3 h post-challenge in all challenged shrimp. Interestingly, proPO and TGase genes were significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) in Bacillus sp. JL47 treated shrimp even before the Vibrio challenge was applied. No up-regulation in the Hsp70 gene, however, was observed under these conditions. The data suggest that the protective effect of the PHB-accumulating Bacillus sp. JL47 in shrimp was due to its capacity to stimulate the innate immune related genes of the shrimp, specifically the proPO and TGase genes. The application of probiotic Bacillus species, capable of accumulating a significant amount of PHB, is suggested as potential immunostimulatory strategy for aquaculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Identification and Molecular Characterization of Genes Coding Pharmaceutically Important Enzymes from Halo-Thermo Tolerant Bacillus

    PubMed Central

    Safary, Azam; Moniri, Rezvan; Hamzeh-Mivehroud, Maryam; Dastmalchi, Siavoush

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Robust pharmaceutical and industrial enzymes from extremophile microorganisms are main source of enzymes with tremendous stability under harsh conditions which make them potential tools for commercial and biotechnological applications. Methods: The genome of a Gram-positive halo-thermotolerant Bacillus sp. SL1, new isolate from Saline Lake, was investigated for the presence of genes coding for potentially pharmaceutical enzymes. We determined gene sequences for the enzymes laccase (CotA), l-asparaginase (ansA3, ansA1), glutamate-specific endopeptidase (blaSE), l-arabinose isomerase (araA2), endo-1,4-β mannosidase (gmuG), glutaminase (glsA), pectate lyase (pelA), cellulase (bglC1), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ycbD) and allantoinases (pucH) in the genome of Bacillus sp. SL1. Results: Based on the DNA sequence alignment results, six of the studied enzymes of Bacillus sp. SL-1 showed 100% similarity at the nucleotide level to the same genes of B. licheniformis 14580 demonstrating extensive organizational relationship between these two strains. Despite high similarities between the B. licheniformis and Bacillus sp. SL-1 genomes, there are minor differences in the sequences of some enzyme. Approximately 30% of the enzyme sequences revealed more than 99% identity with some variations in nucleotides leading to amino acid substitution in protein sequences. Conclusion: Molecular characterization of this new isolate provides useful information regarding evolutionary relationship between B. subtilis and B. licheniformis species. Since, the most industrial processes are often performed in harsh conditions, enzymes from such halo-thermotolerant bacteria may provide economically and industrially appealing biocatalysts to be used under specific physicochemical situations in medical, pharmaceutical, chemical and other industries. PMID:28101462

  8. Identification and Molecular Characterization of Genes Coding Pharmaceutically Important Enzymes from Halo-Thermo Tolerant Bacillus.

    PubMed

    Safary, Azam; Moniri, Rezvan; Hamzeh-Mivehroud, Maryam; Dastmalchi, Siavoush

    2016-12-01

    Purpose: Robust pharmaceutical and industrial enzymes from extremophile microorganisms are main source of enzymes with tremendous stability under harsh conditions which make them potential tools for commercial and biotechnological applications. Methods: The genome of a Gram-positive halo-thermotolerant Bacillus sp. SL1, new isolate from Saline Lake, was investigated for the presence of genes coding for potentially pharmaceutical enzymes. We determined gene sequences for the enzymes laccase (CotA), l-asparaginase (ansA3, ansA1), glutamate-specific endopeptidase (blaSE), l-arabinose isomerase (araA2), endo-1,4-β mannosidase (gmuG), glutaminase (glsA), pectate lyase (pelA), cellulase (bglC1), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ycbD) and allantoinases (pucH) in the genome of Bacillus sp. SL1. Results: Based on the DNA sequence alignment results, six of the studied enzymes of Bacillus sp. SL-1 showed 100% similarity at the nucleotide level to the same genes of B. licheniformis 14580 demonstrating extensive organizational relationship between these two strains. Despite high similarities between the B. licheniformis and Bacillus sp. SL-1 genomes, there are minor differences in the sequences of some enzyme. Approximately 30% of the enzyme sequences revealed more than 99% identity with some variations in nucleotides leading to amino acid substitution in protein sequences. Conclusion: Molecular characterization of this new isolate provides useful information regarding evolutionary relationship between B. subtilis and B. licheniformis species. Since, the most industrial processes are often performed in harsh conditions, enzymes from such halo-thermotolerant bacteria may provide economically and industrially appealing biocatalysts to be used under specific physicochemical situations in medical, pharmaceutical, chemical and other industries.

  9. Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacillus Strains Isolated from Primary Starters for African Traditional Bread Production and Characterization of the Bacitracin Operon and Bacitracin Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Sørensen, Kim I.; Thorsen, Line; Stuer-Lauridsen, Birgitte; Abdelgadir, Warda S.; Nielsen, Dennis S.; Derkx, Patrick M. F.; Jespersen, Lene

    2012-01-01

    Bacillus spp. are widely used as feed additives and probiotics. However, there is limited information on their resistance to various antibiotics, and there is a growing concern over the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. The MIC for 8 antibiotics was determined for 85 Bacillus species strains, Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (n = 29), Bacillus licheniformis (n = 38), and Bacillus sonorensis (n = 18), all of which were isolated from starters for Sudanese bread production. All the strains were sensitive to tetracycline (8.0 mg/liter), vancomycin (4.0 mg/liter), and gentamicin (4.0 mg/liter) but resistant to streptomycin. Sensitivity to clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and kanamycin was species specific. The erythromycin resistance genes ermD and ermK were detected by PCR in all of the erythromycin-resistant (MIC, ≥16.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strains and one erythromycin-sensitive (MIC, 4.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strain. Several amino acid changes were present in the translated ermD and ermK nucleotide sequences of the erythromycin-sensitive strain, which could indicate ErmD and ErmK protein functionalities different from those of the resistance strains. The ermD and ermK genes were localized on an 11.4-kbp plasmid. All of the B. sonorensis strains harbored the bacitracin synthetase gene, bacA, and the transporter gene bcrA, which correlated with their observed resistance to bacitracin. Bacitracin was produced by all the investigated species strains (28%), as determined by ultra-high-definition quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHD-QTOF LC/MS). The present study has revealed species-specific variations in the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Bacillus spp. and provides new information on MIC values, as well as the occurrence of resistance genes in Bacillus spp., including the newly described species B. sonorensis. PMID:22941078

  10. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Bacillus strains isolated from primary starters for African traditional bread production and characterization of the bacitracin operon and bacitracin biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Adimpong, David B; Sørensen, Kim I; Thorsen, Line; Stuer-Lauridsen, Birgitte; Abdelgadir, Warda S; Nielsen, Dennis S; Derkx, Patrick M F; Jespersen, Lene

    2012-11-01

    Bacillus spp. are widely used as feed additives and probiotics. However, there is limited information on their resistance to various antibiotics, and there is a growing concern over the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. The MIC for 8 antibiotics was determined for 85 Bacillus species strains, Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (n = 29), Bacillus licheniformis (n = 38), and Bacillus sonorensis (n = 18), all of which were isolated from starters for Sudanese bread production. All the strains were sensitive to tetracycline (8.0 mg/liter), vancomycin (4.0 mg/liter), and gentamicin (4.0 mg/liter) but resistant to streptomycin. Sensitivity to clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and kanamycin was species specific. The erythromycin resistance genes ermD and ermK were detected by PCR in all of the erythromycin-resistant (MIC, ≥16.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strains and one erythromycin-sensitive (MIC, 4.0 mg/liter) B. licheniformis strain. Several amino acid changes were present in the translated ermD and ermK nucleotide sequences of the erythromycin-sensitive strain, which could indicate ErmD and ErmK protein functionalities different from those of the resistance strains. The ermD and ermK genes were localized on an 11.4-kbp plasmid. All of the B. sonorensis strains harbored the bacitracin synthetase gene, bacA, and the transporter gene bcrA, which correlated with their observed resistance to bacitracin. Bacitracin was produced by all the investigated species strains (28%), as determined by ultra-high-definition quadrupole time-of-flight liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHD-QTOF LC/MS). The present study has revealed species-specific variations in the antimicrobial susceptibilities of Bacillus spp. and provides new information on MIC values, as well as the occurrence of resistance genes in Bacillus spp., including the newly described species B. sonorensis.

  11. Aerosol and Surface Deposition Characteristics of Two Surrogates for Bacillus anthracis Spores

    PubMed Central

    Stapleton, Helen L.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Spores of an acrystalliferous derivative of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, termed Btcry−, are morphologically, aerodynamically, and structurally indistinguishable from Bacillus anthracis spores. Btcry− spores were dispersed in a large, open-ended barn together with spores of Bacillus atrophaeus subsp. globigii, a historically used surrogate for Bacillus anthracis. Spore suspensions (2 × 1012 CFU each of B. atrophaeus subsp. globigii and Btcry−) were aerosolized in each of five spray events using a backpack misting device incorporating an air blower; a wind of 4.9 to 7.6 m s−1 was also flowing through the barn in the same direction. Filter air samplers were situated throughout the barn to assess the aerosol density of the spores during each release. Trays filled with a surfactant in aqueous buffer were placed on the floor near the filter samplers to assess spore deposition. Spores were also recovered from arrays of solid surfaces (concrete, aluminum, and plywood) that had been laid on the floor and set up as a wall at the end of the barn. B. atrophaeus subsp. globigii spores were found to remain airborne for significantly longer periods, and to be deposited on horizontal surfaces at lower densities, than Btcry− spores, particularly near the spray source. There was a 6-fold-higher deposition of Btcry− spores than of B. atrophaeus subsp. globigii spores on vertical surfaces relative to the surrounding airborne density. This work is relevant for selecting the best B. anthracis surrogate for the prediction of human exposure, hazard assessment, and hazard management following a malicious release of B. anthracis. IMPORTANCE There is concern that pathogenic bacteria could be maliciously disseminated in the air to cause human infection and disruption of normal life. The threat from spore-forming organisms, such as the causative agent of anthrax, is particularly serious. In order to assess the extent of this risk, it is important to have a

  12. Microbial reduction of uranium (VI) by Bacillus sp. dwc-2: A macroscopic and spectroscopic study.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaolong; Ding, Congcong; Liao, Jiali; Du, Liang; Sun, Qun; Yang, Jijun; Yang, Yuanyou; Zhang, Dong; Tang, Jun; Liu, Ning

    2017-03-01

    The microbial reduction of U(VI) by Bacillus sp. dwc-2, isolated from soil in Southwest China, was explored using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). Our studies indicated that approximately 16.0% of U(VI) at an initial concentration of 100mg/L uranium nitrate could be reduced by Bacillus sp. dwc-2 at pH8.2 under anaerobic conditions at room temperature. Additionally, natural organic matter (NOM) played an important role in enhancing the bioreduction of U(VI) by Bacillus sp. dwc-2. XPS results demonstrated that the uranium presented mixed valence states (U(VI) and U(IV)) after bioreduction, which was subsequently confirmed by XANES. Furthermore, the TEM and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis suggested that the reduced uranium was bioaccumulated mainly within the cell and as a crystalline structure on the cell wall. These observations implied that the reduction of uranium may have a significant effect on its fate in the soil environment in which these bacterial strains occur. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. gyrB as a phylogenetic discriminator for members of the Bacillus anthracis-cereus-thuringiensis group

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    La Duc, Myron T.; Satomi, Masataka; Agata, Norio; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

    2004-01-01

    Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of the human disease anthrax, Bacillus cereus, a food-borne pathogen capable of causing human illness, and Bacillus thuringiensis, a well-characterized insecticidal toxin producer, all cluster together within a very tight clade (B. cereus group) phylogenetically and are indistinguishable from one another via 16S rDNA sequence analysis. As new pathogens are continually emerging, it is imperative to devise a system capable of rapidly and accurately differentiating closely related, yet phenotypically distinct species. Although the gyrB gene has proven useful in discriminating closely related species, its sequence analysis has not yet been validated by DNA:DNA hybridization, the taxonomically accepted "gold standard". We phylogenetically characterized the gyrB sequences of various species and serotypes encompassed in the "B. cereus group," including lab strains and environmental isolates. Results were compared to those obtained from analyses of phenotypic characteristics, 16S rDNA sequence, DNA:DNA hybridization, and virulence factors. The gyrB gene proved more highly differential than 16S, while, at the same time, as analytical as costly and laborious DNA:DNA hybridization techniques in differentiating species within the B. cereus group.

  14. Rapid detection of Bacillus anthracis spores using a super-paramagnetic lateral-flow immunological detection system.

    PubMed

    Wang, Dian-Bing; Tian, Bo; Zhang, Zhi-Ping; Deng, Jiao-Yu; Cui, Zong-Qiang; Yang, Rui-Fu; Wang, Xu-Ying; Wei, Hong-Ping; Zhang, Xian-En

    2013-04-15

    There is an urgent need for convenient, sensitive, and specific methods to detect the spores of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, because of the bioterrorism threat posed by this bacterium. In this study, we firstly develop a super-paramagnetic lateral-flow immunological detection system for B. anthracis spores. This system involves the use of a portable magnetic assay reader, super-paramagnetic iron oxide particles, lateral-flow strips and two different monoclonal antibodies directed against B. anthracis spores. This detection system specifically recognises as few as 400 pure B. anthracis spores in 30 min. This system has a linear range of 4×10³-10⁶ CFU ml⁻¹ and reproducible detection limits of 200 spores mg⁻¹ milk powder and 130 spores mg⁻¹ soil for simulated samples. In addition, this approach shows no obvious cross-reaction with other related Bacillus spores, even at high concentrations, and has no significant dependence on the duration of the storage of the immunological strips. Therefore, this super-paramagnetic lateral-flow immunological detection system is a promising tool for the rapid and sensitive detection of Bacillus anthracis spores under field conditions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Strains Applicable to Natto (Fermented Soybean) Production ▿

    PubMed Central

    Kubo, Yuji; Rooney, Alejandro P.; Tsukakoshi, Yoshiki; Nakagawa, Rikio; Hasegawa, Hiromasa; Kimura, Keitarou

    2011-01-01

    Spore-forming Bacillus strains that produce extracellular poly-γ-glutamic acid were screened for their application to natto (fermented soybean food) fermentation. Among the 424 strains, including Bacillus subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, which we isolated from rice straw, 59 were capable of fermenting natto. Biotin auxotrophism was tightly linked to natto fermentation. A multilocus nucleotide sequence of six genes (rpoB, purH, gyrA, groEL, polC, and 16S rRNA) was used for phylogenetic analysis, and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was also conducted on the natto-fermenting strains. The ability to ferment natto was inferred from the two principal components of the AFLP banding pattern, and natto-fermenting strains formed a tight cluster within the B. subtilis subsp. subtilis group. PMID:21764950

  16. Production of L-lactic acid by a thermophilic Bacillus mutant using sodium hydroxide as neutralizing agent.

    PubMed

    Qin, Jiayang; Wang, Xiuwen; Zheng, Zhaojuan; Ma, Cuiqing; Tang, Hongzhi; Xu, Ping

    2010-10-01

    A sodium lactate tolerant mutant strain named Bacillus sp. Na-2 was obtained and applied to sodium hydroxide-based L-lactic acid (LA) production process. The influences of aeration and pH were investigated to further improve the resistance of strain Na-2 against sodium lactate stress and to obtain the most efficient L-LA production process. Although mild aeration was favorable for cell growth and L-LA production, vigorous aeration resulted in a metabolic shift from homolactic to mixed-acid/acetoin fermentation. Therefore, a two-stage aeration control strategy was employed. Optimum pH was found to be 6.0. A total of 106.0 g/l L-LA was produced in 30 h by Bacillus sp. Na-2 using sodium hydroxide as neutralizing agent. Productivity, conversion rate and optical purity were 3.53 g/l/h, 94% and 99.5%, respectively. The remarkable fermentation traits of Bacillus sp. Na-2 and the environment-friendly characteristics of NaOH-based process represent new insight for industrial scale production of L-LA. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. A love affair with Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Losick, Richard

    2015-01-30

    My career in science was launched when I was an undergraduate at Princeton University and reinforced by graduate training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, it was only after I moved to Harvard University as a junior fellow that my affections were captured by a seemingly mundane soil bacterium. What Bacillus subtilis offered was endless fascinating biological problems (alternative sigma factors, sporulation, swarming, biofilm formation, stochastic cell fate switching) embedded in a uniquely powerful genetic system. Along the way, my career in science became inseparably interwoven with teaching and mentoring, which proved to be as rewarding as the thrill of discovery. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  18. Resistance: a threat to the insecticidal crystal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis

    Treesearch

    Leah S. Bauer

    1995-01-01

    Insecticidal crystal proteins (also known as d-endotoxins) synthesized by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) are the active ingredient of various environmentally friendly insecticides that are 1) highly compatible with natural enemies and other nontarget organisms due to narrow host specificity, 2) harmless to vertebrates, 3) biodegradable in the...

  19. Genome Sequence of a Chromium-Reducing Strain, Bacillus cereus S612

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Dongping; Boukhalfa, Hakim; Ware, Doug S.; ...

    2015-12-10

    We report here the genome sequence of an effective chromium-reducing bacterium,Bacillus cereusstrain S612. We found that the size of the draft genome sequence is approximately 5.4 Mb, with a G+C content of 35%, and it is predicted to contain 5,450 protein-coding genes.

  20. Bacillus thuringiensis toxins trigger receptor shedding from gypsy moth midgut cells

    Treesearch

    Algimantas P. Valaitis

    2007-01-01

    The mechanism of action of the Cry1 insecticidal proteins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) begins with the processing of these proteins in the larval gut. After proteolytic activation, the Bt toxins bind to specific midgut receptors and insert into the membrane of the gut epithelial cells, causing insect death.

  1. Phylogenetic analysis of Bacillus subtilis strains applicable to natto (fermented soybean) production

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Spore-forming Bacillus strains that produce extracellular poly-'-glutamic acid were screened for their application to natto (fermented soybean food) fermentation. Among the 365 strains, including B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, which we isolated from rice straw, 59 were capable of fermenting n...

  2. Digital data for quick response (QR) codes of alkalophilic Bacillus pumilus to identify and to compare bacilli isolated from Lonar Crator Lake, India.

    PubMed

    Rekadwad, Bhagwan N; Khobragade, Chandrahasya N

    2016-06-01

    Microbiologists are routinely engaged isolation, identification and comparison of isolated bacteria for their novelty. 16S rRNA sequences of Bacillus pumilus were retrieved from NCBI repository and generated QR codes for sequences (FASTA format and full Gene Bank information). 16SrRNA were used to generate quick response (QR) codes of Bacillus pumilus isolated from Lonar Crator Lake (19° 58' N; 76° 31' E), India. Bacillus pumilus 16S rRNA gene sequences were used to generate CGR, FCGR and PCA. These can be used for visual comparison and evaluation respectively. The hyperlinked QR codes, CGR, FCGR and PCA of all the isolates are made available to the users on a portal https://sites.google.com/site/bhagwanrekadwad/. This generated digital data helps to evaluate and compare any Bacillus pumilus strain, minimizes laboratory efforts and avoid misinterpretation of the species.

  3. High-Level Heat Resistance of Spores of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus licheniformis Results from the Presence of a spoVA Operon in a Tn1546 Transposon

    PubMed Central

    Berendsen, Erwin M.; Koning, Rosella A.; Boekhorst, Jos; de Jong, Anne; Kuipers, Oscar P.; Wells-Bennik, Marjon H. J.

    2016-01-01

    Bacterial endospore formers can produce spores that are resistant to many food processing conditions, including heat. Some spores may survive heating processes aimed at production of commercially sterile foods. Recently, it was shown that a spoVA operon, designated spoVA2mob, present on a Tn1546 transposon in Bacillus subtilis, leads to profoundly increased wet heat resistance of B. subtilis spores. Such Tn1546 transposon elements including the spoVA2mob operon were also found in several strains of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus licheniformis, and these strains were shown to produce spores with significantly higher resistances to wet heat than their counterparts lacking this transposon. In this study, the locations and compositions of Tn1546 transposons encompassing the spoVA2mob operons in B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis were analyzed. Introduction of these spoVA2mob operons into B. subtilis 168 (producing spores that are not highly heat resistant) rendered mutant 168 strains that produced high-level heat resistant spores, demonstrating that these elements in B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis are responsible for high level heat resistance of spores. Assessment of growth of the nine strains of each species between 5.2°C and 57.7°C showed some differences between strains, especially at lower temperatures, but all strains were able to grow at 57.7°C. Strains of B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis that contain the Tn1546 elements (and produce high-level heat resistant spores) grew at temperatures similar to those of their Tn1546-negative counterparts that produce low-level heat resistant spores. The findings presented in this study allow for detection of B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis strains that produce highly heat resistant spores in the food chain. PMID:27994575

  4. Bacteriocins synthesized by Bacillus thuringiensis: generalities and potential applications

    PubMed Central

    Salazar-Marroquín, Elma Laura; Galán-Wong, Luis J.; Moreno-Medina, Víctor Ricardo; Reyes-López, Miguel Ángel; Pereyra-Alférez, Benito

    2016-01-01

    The members of the Bacillus thuringiensis group, commonly known as Bt, produce a huge number of metabolites, which show biocidal and antagonistic activity. B. thuringiensis is widely known for synthesizing Cry, Vip and Cyt proteins, active against insects and other parasporins with biocidal activity against certain types of cancerous cells. Nevertheless, B. thuringiensis also synthesizes compounds with antimicrobial activity, especially bacteriocins. Some B. thuringiensis bacteriocins resemble lantibiotics and other small linear peptides (class IIa) from the lactic acid bacteria bacteriocins classification system. Although many bacteriocins produced by Bt have been reported, there is no proper classification for them. In this work, we have grouped these based on molecular weight and functionality. Bacteriocins are small peptides synthesized by bacteria, presenting inhibitory activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and to a lesser extent against fungi. These molecules represent a good study model in the search for microbial control alternatives. Lactic acid bacteria produces a huge number of these types of molecules with great potential. Nonetheless, members of the Bacillus, cereus group, especially B. thuringiensis, emerge as an attractive alternative for obtaining bacteriocins showing novel activities. This review describes the potential applications of B. thuringiensis bacteriocins in the control of foodborne pathogens, environment and medical area. PMID:27340340

  5. Bacteriocins synthesized by Bacillus thuringiensis: generalities and potential applications.

    PubMed

    Salazar-Marroquín, Elma Laura; Galán-Wong, Luis J; Moreno-Medina, Víctor Ricardo; Reyes-López, Miguel Ángel; Pereyra-Alférez, Benito

    2016-07-01

    The members of the Bacillus thuringiensis group, commonly known as Bt, produce a huge number of metabolites, which show biocidal and antagonistic activity. B. thuringiensis is widely known for synthesizing Cry, Vip and Cyt proteins, active against insects and other parasporins with biocidal activity against certain types of cancerous cells. Nevertheless, B. thuringiensis also synthesizes compounds with antimicrobial activity, especially bacteriocins. Some B. thuringiensis bacteriocins resemble lantibiotics and other small linear peptides (class IIa) from the lactic acid bacteria bacteriocins classification system. Although many bacteriocins produced by Bt have been reported, there is no proper classification for them. In this work, we have grouped these based on molecular weight and functionality. Bacteriocins are small peptides synthesized by bacteria, presenting inhibitory activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and to a lesser extent against fungi. These molecules represent a good study model in the search for microbial control alternatives. Lactic acid bacteria produces a huge number of these types of molecules with great potential. Nonetheless, members of the Bacillus, cereus group, especially B. thuringiensis, emerge as an attractive alternative for obtaining bacteriocins showing novel activities. This review describes the potential applications of B. thuringiensis bacteriocins in the control of foodborne pathogens, environment and medical area.

  6. Applicability of UV resistant Bacillus pumilus endospores as a ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Recent studies have demonstrated the potential to use Bacillus pumilus endospores as a surrogate of human adenovirus (HAdV) in UV disinfection studies. The use of endospores has been limited by observations of batch-to-batch variation in UV sensitivity. This study reports on a propagation method that utilizes a commercially available medium to produce UV tolerant B. pumilus endospores with a consistent UV sensitivity. It is further demonstrated that the endospores B. pumilus strain (ATCC 27142), produced using this protocol (half strength Columbia broth, 5 days incubation, with 0.1mM MnSO4), display a UV dose-response that is similar to that of HAdV. Endospore stocks could be stored in ethanol for up to two month at 4C without a significant change in UV sensitivity. Synergistic endospore damage by pre-pasteurization of water samples was observed, suggesting post-pasteurization only of UV treated water samples. UV tolerant B. pumilus endospores are a potential surrogate of HAdV for UV treatment performance tests in water utilities which do not have in-house research virology laboratories. This article describes the usefulness of Bacillus pumilus endspores as a viable surrogate for adeno virus in UV disinfection studies.

  7. Characterization of a Thermophilic Bacteriophage for Bacillus stearothermophilus1

    PubMed Central

    Saunders, Grady F.; Campbell, L. Leon

    1966-01-01

    Saunders, Grady F. (University of Illinois, Urbana), and L. Leon Campbell. Characterization of a thermophilic bacteriophage for Bacillus stearothermophilus. J. Bacteriol. 91:340–348. 1965.—The biological and physical-chemical properties of the thermophilic bacteriophage TP-84 were investigated. TP-84 was shown to be lytic for 3 of 24 strains of Bacillus stearothermophilus tested over the temperature range of 43 to 76 C. The latent period of TP-84 on B. stearothermophilus strain 10 was 22 to 24 min. TP-84 has a hexagonal head, 53 mμ in diameter and 30 mμ on a side; its tail is 130 mμ long and 3 to 5 mμ wide. The phage has an S5020,w of 436, and bands at a density of 1.508 g/cc in CsCl (pH 8.5). The diffusion coefficient of TP-84 was calculated to be 6.19 × 10−8 cm2/sec. From the sedimentation and diffusion data, a particle molecular weight of 50 million daltons was calculated for TP-84. The phage DNA has a base composition of 42% guanine + cytosine, deduced from buoyant density and melting temperature measurements. Images PMID:5903101

  8. The poly-gamma-glutamate of Bacillus subtilis interacts specifically with silver nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Eymard-Vernain, Elise; Coute, Yohann; Adrait, Annie; Rabilloud, Thierry; Sarret, Géraldine

    2018-01-01

    For many years, silver nanoparticles, as with other antibacterial nanoparticles, have been extensively used in manufactured products. However, their fate in the environment is unclear and raises questions. We studied the fate of silver nanoparticles in the presence of bacteria under growth conditions that are similar to those found naturally in the environment (that is, bacteria in a stationary phase with low nutrient concentrations). We demonstrated that the viability and the metabolism of a gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis, exposed during the stationary phase is unaffected by 1 mg/L of silver nanoparticles. These results can be partly explained by a physical interaction of the poly-gamma-glutamate (PGA) secreted by Bacillus subtilis with the silver nanoparticles. The coating of the silver nanoparticles by the secreted PGA likely results in a loss of the bioavailability of nanoparticles and, consequently, a decrease of their biocidal effect. PMID:29813090

  9. Bacillus nitroreducens sp. nov., a humus-reducing bacterium isolated from a compost.

    PubMed

    Guo, Junhui; Wang, Yue Qiang; Yang, Guiqin; Chen, Yunqi; Zhou, Shungui; Zhao, Yong; Zhuang, Li

    2016-05-01

    A Gram-staining-positive, facultative anaerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated GSS08(T), was isolated from a windrow compost pile and characterized by means of a polyphasic approach. Growth occurred with 0-4 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1 %), at pH 6.5-9.5 (optimum pH 7.5) and at 20-45 °C (optimum 37 °C). Anaerobic growth occurred with anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate, fumarate and NO3 (-) as electron acceptor. The main respiratory quinone was MK-7. The predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major fatty acids (>5 %) were iso-C15:0 (43.1 %), anteiso-C15:0 (27.4 %) and iso-C16:0 (8.3 %). The DNA G + C content was 39.6 mol%. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain GSS08(T) formed a phyletic lineage with the type strain of Bacillus humi DSM 16318(T) with a high sequence similarity of 97.5 %, but it displayed low sequence similarity with other valid species in the genus Bacillus (<96.0 %). The DNA-DNA relatedness between strains GSS08(T) and B. humi DSM 16318(T) was 50.8 %. The results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analyses clearly indicated that strain GSS08(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Bacillus nitroreducens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GSS08(T) (=KCTC 33699(T) = MCCC 1K01091(T)).

  10. Crystal structure of thermostable p-nitrophenylphosphatase from Bacillus Stearothermophilus (Bs-TpNPPase).

    PubMed

    Guo, Zheng; Wang, Fengbin; Shen, Tiantian; Huang, Jing; Wang, Yuandong; Ji, Chaoneng

    2014-05-01

    Thermostable p-nitrophenylphosphatase from Bacillus Stearothermophilus (Bs-TpNPPase) is involved in the Mg(2+)-dependent hydrolysis of the phosphoenzyme at an optimum reaction temperature of 55°C. Bs-TpNPPase has been cloned and overexpressed in the E.coli M15 strain. Based on the conserved active sites, the protein was suggested to be a member of the haloalkanoate dehalogenase (HAD) superfamily. Two site-specific point mutants of Bs-TpNPPase were prepared by changing the catalytic Asp10 and Thr43 to Ala10 and Ala43, respectively. The activity of the two mutants further confirms Bs-TpNPPase as a member of the HAD superfamily. HAD superfamily can be divided into the four subfamilies and play several biochemical roles such as DNA repair, signal transduction and secondary metabolism. To understand the relationship between structure and thermostability in HAD superfamily, Bs-TpNPPase from Bacillus Stearothermophilus was selected. The X-ray crystal structure of Bs-TpNPPase was determined at 1.5A resolution using the molecular replacement phasing method. The structure of Bs-TpNPPase has been deposited and the PDB code is 4KN8. Compared with Bsp, a mesophilic prokaryotic putative p-nitrophenyl phosphatase from Bacillus Subtilis, Bs- TpNPPase showed highly homology but variations in the level of leucine content, aromatic clusters, cation-Pi and hydrophobic interaction. These differences may affect the thermal stability of the protein. The crystal structure of Bs-TpNPPase described herein may serve as a guide to better understand the mechanism of thermostability and provide insights for further mutation work.

  11. Draft Genome Sequences from a Novel Clade of Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato Strains, Isolated from the International Space Station.

    PubMed

    Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Checinska Sielaff, Aleksandra; Ratnayake, Shashikala; Pope, Robert K; Blank, Thomas E; Stepanov, Victor G; Fox, George E; van Tongeren, Sandra P; Torres, Clinton; Allen, Jonathan; Jaing, Crystal; Pierson, Duane; Perry, Jay; Koren, Sergey; Phillippy, Adam; Klubnik, Joy; Treangen, Todd J; Rosovitz, M J; Bergman, Nicholas H

    2017-08-10

    The draft genome sequences of six Bacillus strains, isolated from the International Space Station and belonging to the Bacillus anthracis - B. cereus - B. thuringiensis group, are presented here. These strains were isolated from the Japanese Experiment Module (one strain), U.S. Harmony Node 2 (three strains), and Russian Segment Zvezda Module (two strains). Copyright © 2017 Venkateswaran et al.

  12. Bacillus coagulans: a viable adjunct therapy for relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis according to a randomized, controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) probiotics demonstrate immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory effects and the ability to lessen the symptoms of arthritis in both animals and humans. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design, clinical pilot trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of the LAB probiotic preparation, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086, on symptoms and measures of functional capacity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in combination with pharmacological anti-arthritic medications. Methods Forty-five adult men and women with symptoms of RA were randomly assigned to receive Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 or placebo once a day in a double-blind fashion for 60 days in addition to their standard anti-arthritic medications. Arthritis activity was evaluated by clinical examination, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), and laboratory tests for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results Subjects who received Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 experienced borderline statistically significant improvement in the Patient Pain Assessment score (P = .052) and statistically significant improvement in Pain Scale (P = .046) vs placebo. Compared with placebo, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 treatment resulted in greater improvement in patient global assessment and self-assessed disability; reduction in CRP; as well as the ability to walk 2 miles, reach, and participate in daily activities. There were no treatment-related adverse events reported throughout this study. Conclusions Results of this pilot study suggest that adjunctive treatment with Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 LAB probiotic appeared to be a safe and effective for patients suffering from RA. Because of the low study population size, larger trials are needed to verify these results. Trial registration ACTRN12609000435280 PMID:20067641

  13. Complete Genome Sequences of Bacillus Phages Janet and OTooleKemple52

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT We report here the genome sequences of two novel Bacillus cereus group-infecting bacteriophages, Janet and OTooleKemple52. These bacteriophages are double-stranded DNA-containing Myoviridae isolated from soil samples. While their genomes share a high degree of sequence identity with one another, their host preferences are unique. PMID:29748396

  14. Comparison of 3 selective media for enumeration of Bacillus cereus in several food matrixes.

    PubMed

    Chon, Jung-Whan; Song, Kwang-Young; Kim, Hyunsook; Seo, Kun-Ho

    2014-12-01

    In this study, we compared the inclusivity, exclusivity, recoverability, and selectivity of the 3 selective agars (mannitol yolk polymyxin B agar [MYPA], polymyxin pyruvate egg yolk mannitol bromothymol blue agar [PEMBA], and Brillance Bacillus cereus agar [BBC agar]) for Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) from pure culture and several food samples. BBC agar showed greater exclusivity and selectivity in pure culture and in foods with high background flora, respectively; however, all the tested media showed similar recoverability (P > 0.05) of B. cereus in pure culture and in most foods. Our results suggest that BBC agar could be useful to enumerate B. cereus from, in particular, food matrixes with high background competing micro flora. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  15. Bioassay of formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis for use in forestry: panel discussion of the role of the bioassay in standardizing formulations of B. thuringiensis

    Treesearch

    H. T. Dulmage; C. C. Beegle; N. R. Dubois

    1985-01-01

    The panel discussed various aspects of Bacillus thuringiensis formulations and fermentations and concluded that the only means at present of standardizing these formulations or discovering more potent strains of the Bacillus is through carefully controlled bioassays.

  16. Engineering genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis for acetoin production from xylose.

    PubMed

    Yan, Panpan; Wu, Yuanqing; Yang, Li; Wang, Zhiwen; Chen, Tao

    2018-02-01

    To investigate the capacity of a genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis strain as chassis cell for acetoin production from xylose. To endow the genome-reduced Bacillus subtilis strain BSK814 with the ability to utilize xylose, we inserted a native xyl operon into its genome and deleted the araR gene. The resulting strain BSK814A2 produced 2.94 g acetoin/l from 10 g xylose/l, which was 39% higher than control strain BSK19A2. The deletion of the bdhA and acoA genes further improved xylose utilization efficiency and increased acetoin production to 3.71 g/l in BSK814A4. Finally, BSK814A4 produced up to 23.3 g acetoin/l from 50 g xylose/l, with a yield of 0.46 g/g xylose. Both the titer and yield were 39% higher than those of control strain BSK19A4. As a chassis cell, genome-reduced B. subtilis showed significantly improved capacity for the production of the overflow product acetoin from xylose compared with wild-type strain.

  17. Isolation and characterization of lipopeptide antibiotics produced by Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Chen, H; Wang, L; Su, C X; Gong, G H; Wang, P; Yu, Z L

    2008-09-01

    Antibiotics from Bacillus subtilis JA show strong pathogen inhibition ability, which has potential market application; yet, the composition of these antibiotics has not been elucidated. The aim of this paper is to isolate and identify these antibiotics. The antagonistic activity of JA was tested in vitro; it exhibited strong inhibition against some important phytopathogens and postharvest pathogens. Crude antibiotic production was extracted with methanol from the precipitate by adding 6 mol l(-1) HCl to the bacillus-free culture broth. The crude extract was run on Diamonsil C18 column (5 microm, 250 x 4.6 mm) in HPLC system to separate the antibiotics. Major antibiotics were classified into three lipopeptide families according to electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis. Subsequently, the classification of antibiotics was confirmed with typical collision-induced dissociation fragments. Three kinds of antibiotics were isolated from B. subtilis JA and were identified to the lipopeptide families, surfactin, iturin and fengycin. These compounds could function as biocontrol agents against a large spectrum of pathogens. This study provided a reliable and rapid method for isolation and structural characterization of lipopeptide antibiotics from B. subtilis.

  18. Evaluation of sampling methods for Bacillus spore-contaminated HVAC filters.

    PubMed

    Calfee, M Worth; Rose, Laura J; Tufts, Jenia; Morse, Stephen; Clayton, Matt; Touati, Abderrahmane; Griffin-Gatchalian, Nicole; Slone, Christina; McSweeney, Neal

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare an extraction-based sampling method to two vacuum-based sampling methods (vacuum sock and 37mm cassette filter) with regards to their ability to recover Bacillus atrophaeus spores (surrogate for Bacillus anthracis) from pleated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filters that are typically found in commercial and residential buildings. Electrostatic and mechanical HVAC filters were tested, both without and after loading with dust to 50% of their total holding capacity. The results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA across material types, presence or absence of dust, and sampling device. The extraction method gave higher relative recoveries than the two vacuum methods evaluated (p≤0.001). On average, recoveries obtained by the vacuum methods were about 30% of those achieved by the extraction method. Relative recoveries between the two vacuum methods were not significantly different (p>0.05). Although extraction methods yielded higher recoveries than vacuum methods, either HVAC filter sampling approach may provide a rapid and inexpensive mechanism for understanding the extent of contamination following a wide-area biological release incident. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Digital data for quick response (QR) codes of alkalophilic Bacillus pumilus to identify and to compare bacilli isolated from Lonar Crator Lake, India

    PubMed Central

    Rekadwad, Bhagwan N.; Khobragade, Chandrahasya N.

    2016-01-01

    Microbiologists are routinely engaged isolation, identification and comparison of isolated bacteria for their novelty. 16S rRNA sequences of Bacillus pumilus were retrieved from NCBI repository and generated QR codes for sequences (FASTA format and full Gene Bank information). 16SrRNA were used to generate quick response (QR) codes of Bacillus pumilus isolated from Lonar Crator Lake (19° 58′ N; 76° 31′ E), India. Bacillus pumilus 16S rRNA gene sequences were used to generate CGR, FCGR and PCA. These can be used for visual comparison and evaluation respectively. The hyperlinked QR codes, CGR, FCGR and PCA of all the isolates are made available to the users on a portal https://sites.google.com/site/bhagwanrekadwad/. This generated digital data helps to evaluate and compare any Bacillus pumilus strain, minimizes laboratory efforts and avoid misinterpretation of the species. PMID:27141529

  20. Background frequency of Bacillus species at the Canberra Airport: A 12 month study.

    PubMed

    Gahan, Michelle E; Thomas, Rory; Rossi, Rebecca; Nelson, Michelle; Roffey, Paul; Richardson, Michelle M; McNevin, Dennis

    2015-12-01

    Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, is a naturally occurring disease in Australia. Whilst mainly limited to livestock in grazing regions of Victoria and New South Wales, movement of people, stock and vehicles means B. anthracis could be present outside this region. Of particular interest is the "background" prevalence of B. anthracis at transport hubs including airports. The aim of this study was to determine the background frequency of B. anthracis and the commonly used hoax agent Bacillus thuringiensis at the Canberra Airport over a 12 month period. Samples were collected daily for seven days each month from August 2011-July 2012 and analyzed using species specific real-time polymerase chain reaction. Fourteen samples (of a total of 575) were positive for the B. anthracis PL3 genomic marker, 24 for the cya (pXO1) plasmid marker and five for the capB (pXO2) plasmid marker. Whilst five samples were positive for both PL3 and cya, no samples were positive for all three markers hence there is no evidence to suggest the presence of pathogenic B. anthracis strains. B. anthracis targets were detected primarily in February 2012 and B. thuringiensis peaked in October and November 2011 and again in April and May 2012. This study provides a rapid method to screen for, and differentiate, Bacillus species. Armed with this information investigators will be able to discriminate a "threat" from "background" frequencies should the need arise. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Hot, humid air decontamination of a C-130 aircraft contaminated with spores of two acrystalliferous Bacillus thuringiensis strains, surrogates for Bacillus anthracis.

    PubMed

    Buhr, T L; Young, A A; Bensman, M; Minter, Z A; Kennihan, N L; Johnson, C A; Bohmke, M D; Borgers-Klonkowski, E; Osborn, E B; Avila, S D; Theys, A M G; Jackson, P J

    2016-04-01

    To develop test methods and evaluate survival of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki cry(-) HD-1 and B. thuringiensis Al Hakam spores after exposure to hot, humid air inside of a C-130 aircraft. Bacillus thuringiensis spores were either pre-inoculated on 1 × 2 or 2 × 2 cm substrates or aerosolized inside the cargo hold of a C-130 and allowed to dry. Dirty, complex surfaces (10 × 10 cm) swabbed after spore dispersal showed a deposition of 8-10 log10 m(-2) through the entire cargo hold. After hot, humid air decontamination at 75-80°C, 70-90% relative humidity for 7 days, 87 of 98 test swabs covering 0·98 m(2) , showed complete spore inactivation. There was a total of 1·67 log10 live CFU detected in 11 of the test swabs. Spore inactivation in the 98 test swabs was measured at 7·06 log10 m(-2) . Laboratory test methods for hot, humid air decontamination were scaled for a large-scale aircraft field test. The C-130 field test demonstrated that hot, humid air can be successfully used to decontaminate an aircraft. Transition of a new technology from research and development to acquisition at a Technology Readiness Level 7 is unprecedented. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  2. Recovery of commercially produced Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis and Bacillus sphaericus from tires and prevalence of bacilli in artificial and natural containers.

    PubMed

    Siegel, J P; Smith, A R; Novak, R J

    2001-03-01

    We conducted surveys to identify the species of spore-forming bacteria present in natural and artificial containers. Most of our samples came from Illinois. Identification was based on the cellular fatty acid composition of the bacterial cell wall. In addition, we utilized a custom database for commercially produced strains of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) and B. sphaericus, to differentiate between larvicidal isolates with commercial or native origin. Native Bti was present at low levels in almost all habitats but was not recovered from bromeliads and metal containers. In temporary woodland pools, 27.9% of the colonies recovered were native Bti. We did not recover larvicidal B. sphaericus in untreated habitats. VectoBac and VectoLex were applied to tires containing water and the tires were sampled 3 months and 9 months after treatment. Isolates of Bti and B. sphaericus with commercial origin were recovered as long as 9 months after application. We noticed numerous cadavers of Aedes triseriatus in several tires 9 months after treatment with VectoBac. We could not determine if this mortality resulted from recycling of Bti in these tires or whether insecticidal crystal proteins from the original treatment were resuspended. Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis isolates with commercial ancestry were recovered from untreated tires 9 months after application. Isolates of larvicidal B. sphaericus that differed from the bacteria in VectoLex were also recovered from untreated tires.

  3. Laboratory Assessment of the Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis on Native Lepidoptera

    Treesearch

    John W. Peacock; Dale F. Schweitzer; Jane L. Carter; Normand R. Dubois

    1998-01-01

    The effect of 2 formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (Foray 48B and Dipel 8AF) was evaluated on 42 species of native Lepidoptera in laboratory bioassays using instars that are present in the field at the time of gypsy moth suppression applications. Mortality was significant for 27 of the 42 species evaluated...

  4. Novel Keratinase from Bacillus subtilis S14 Exhibiting Remarkable Dehairing Capabilities

    PubMed Central

    Macedo, Alexandre J.; da Silva, Walter O. Beys; Gava, Renata; Driemeier, David; Henriques, João Antonio Pêgas; Termignoni, Carlos

    2005-01-01

    We report the isolation of a keratinolytic-producing Bacillus subtilis strain and the characterization of the exceptional dehairing properties of its subtilisin-like keratinase. This enzyme can be an alternative to sodium sulfide, the major pollutant from tanneries, and may completely replace it. Its unique nonactivity upon collagen enhances its industrial potential. PMID:15640244

  5. Complete Genome Sequences of Bacillus Phages Janet and OTooleKemple52.

    PubMed

    Kent, Brenna; Raymond, Thomas; Mosier, Philip D; Johnson, Allison A

    2018-05-10

    We report here the genome sequences of two novel Bacillus cereus group-infecting bacteriophages, Janet and OTooleKemple52. These bacteriophages are double-stranded DNA-containing Myoviridae isolated from soil samples. While their genomes share a high degree of sequence identity with one another, their host preferences are unique. Copyright © 2018 Kent et al.

  6. Biological control of fusarial wilt of pigeon pea by Bacillus brevis.

    PubMed

    Bapat, S; Shah, A K

    2000-02-01

    A virulent strain of pigeon pea wilt pathogen was isolated from wilted pigeon pea plants and was identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. udum. Many bacterial cultures showing antagonism to the pathogen were isolated from various ecological niches. When tested under pot and field conditions, development of fusarial wilt symptoms was prevented in pigeon pea seeds treated with one such antagonist, Bacillus brevis. A formulation of B. brevis with vermiculite as a carrier had a shelf life of at least 6 months. Bacillus brevis produced an extracellular antagonistic substance which induced swelling of the pathogen's hyphal tips, and cells were bulbous and swollen with shrunken and granulated cytoplasm. The antagonistic substance also inhibited germination of conidia, and was fungicidal to the vegetative mycelia of the pathogen. Comparison of the properties of our antagonistic substance with that of known antibiotics produced by B. brevis suggests that our antagonistic substance is a novel compound. The observations reported here indicate that this strain of B. brevis may have potential as a biocontrol agent against fusarial wilt in pigeon pea.

  7. Anthrax Toxin-Expressing Bacillus cereus Isolated from an Anthrax-Like Eschar.

    PubMed

    Marston, Chung K; Ibrahim, Hisham; Lee, Philip; Churchwell, George; Gumke, Megan; Stanek, Danielle; Gee, Jay E; Boyer, Anne E; Gallegos-Candela, Maribel; Barr, John R; Li, Han; Boulay, Darbi; Cronin, Li; Quinn, Conrad P; Hoffmaster, Alex R

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus cereus isolates have been described harboring Bacillus anthracis toxin genes, most notably B. cereus G9241, and capable of causing severe and fatal pneumonias. This report describes the characterization of a B. cereus isolate, BcFL2013, associated with a naturally occurring cutaneous lesion resembling an anthrax eschar. Similar to G9241, BcFL2013 is positive for the B. anthracis pXO1 toxin genes, has a multi-locus sequence type of 78, and a pagA sequence type of 9. Whole genome sequencing confirms the similarity to G9241. In addition to the chromosome having an average nucleotide identity of 99.98% when compared to G9241, BcFL2013 harbors three plasmids with varying homology to the G9241 plasmids (pBCXO1, pBC210 and pBFH_1). This is also the first report to include serologic testing of patient specimens associated with this type of B. cereus infection which resulted in the detection of anthrax lethal factor toxemia, a quantifiable serum antibody response to protective antigen (PA), and lethal toxin neutralization activity.

  8. Cucumber rhizosphere microbial community response to biocontrol agent Bacillus subtilis B068150

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis B068150 has been used as a biocontrol agent against the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cucumerinum. However, their survival ability in cucumber rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere as well as their influence on native microbial communities has not been fully i...

  9. Production of lactic acid from hemicellulose extracts by Bacillus coagulans MXL-9

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bacillus coagulans MXL-9 was found capable of growing on pre-pulping hemicellulose extracts, utilizing all of the principle monosugars found in woody biomass. This organism is a moderate thermophile isolated from compost for its pentose utilizing capabilities. It was found to have high tolerance f...

  10. A method for in Vivo radiolabeling Bacillus thuringiensis native δ-endotoxin crystals

    Treesearch

    C. Noah Koller; Leah S. Bauer; Robert M. Hollingworth

    1995-01-01

    The entomocidal CryIIIA δ-endotoxin protein of Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis is distinctive in chemistry and host range. In contrast to other δ-endotoxins, the CryIIIA parasporal crystals are toxic within the acidic midgut environment of several coleopteran species, particularly those in the family...

  11. Alexandre Yersin (1863-1943): discoverer of the plague bacillus, explorer and agronomist.

    PubMed

    Hawgood, Barbara J

    2008-08-01

    Alexandre Yersin was born in French Switzerland and later took French nationality. While a medical student he worked in Paris with Emile Roux to discover the exotoxin produced by the diphtheria bacillus. Two years after graduation, he left Paris for French Indochina where he was the first European to explore and map the central highlands of Vietnam. As a member of the French Colonial Health Service he was sent to Hong Kong in 1894 to investigate the outbreak of bubonic plague. He isolated from buboes the causative bacillus that later was named Yersinia pestis in his honour. In Vietnam, Yersin established a Pasteur Institute at the coastal village of Nha Trang where he lived for the rest of his life. He developed vaccines and antisera for both men and animals and, as an agronomist, he introduced the Brazilian rubber tree and Peruvian cinchona tree (for quinine) into the country. In Vietnam, as in France, the name of Yersin continues to be venerated.

  12. Metabolome analysis reveals the effect of carbon catabolite control on the poly(γ-glutamic acid) biosynthesis of Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945.

    PubMed

    Mitsunaga, Hitoshi; Meissner, Lena; Palmen, Thomas; Bamba, Takeshi; Büchs, Jochen; Fukusaki, Eiichiro

    2016-04-01

    Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) is a polymer composed of L- and/or D-glutamic acids that is produced by Bacillus sp. Because the polymer has various features as water soluble, edible, non-toxic and so on, it has attracted attention as a candidate for many applications such as foods, cosmetics and so on. However, although it is well known that the intracellular metabolism of Bacillus sp. is mainly regulated by catabolite control, the effect of the catabolite control on the PGA producing Bacillus sp. is largely unknown. This study is the first report of metabolome analysis on the PGA producing Bacillus sp. that reveals the effect of carbon catabolite control on the metabolism of PGA producing Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945. Results showed that the cells cultivated in glycerol-containing medium showed higher PGA production than the cells in glucose-containing medium. Furthermore, metabolome analysis revealed that the activators of CcpA and CodY, global regulatory proteins of the intracellular metabolism, accumulated in the cells cultivated in glycerol-containing and glucose-containing medium, respectively, with CodY apparently inhibiting PGA production. Moreover, the cells seemed to produce glutamate from citrate and ammonium using glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase. Pulsed addition of di-ammonium hydrogen citrate, as suggested by the metabolome result, was able to achieve the highest value so far for PGA production in B. licheniformis. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Inadvertent laboratory exposure to Bacillus anthracis--California, 2004.

    PubMed

    2005-04-01

    On June 9, 2004, the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) was notified of possible inadvertent exposure to Bacillus anthracis spores at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), where workers were evaluating the immune response of mice to B. anthracis. This report summarizes the subsequent investigation by CDHS and CDC, including assessment of exposures, administration of postexposure chemoprophylaxis, and serologic testing of potentially exposed workers. The findings underscore the importance of using appropriate biosafety practices and performing adequate sterility testing when working with material believed to contain inactivated B. anthracis organisms.

  14. Pitting corrosion inhibition of aluminum 2024 by Bacillus biofilms secreting polyaspartate or gamma-polyglutamate.

    PubMed

    Ornek, D; Jayaraman, A; Syrett, B C; Hsu, C-H; Mansfeld, F B; Wood, T K

    2002-04-01

    Pitting corrosion of aluminum 2024 in Luria Bertani medium was reduced by the secretion of anionic peptides by engineered and natural Bacillus biofilms and was studied in continuous reactors using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Compared to sterile controls, pitting was reduced dramatically by the presence of the biofilms. The secretion of a 20 amino acid polyaspartate peptide by an engineered Bacillus subtilis WB600/pBE92-Asp biofilm slightly reduced the corrosion rate of the passive aluminum alloy at pH 6.5; however, the secretion of gamma-polyglutamate by a Bacillus licheniformis biofilm reduced the corrosion rate by 90% (compared to the B. subtilis WB600/pBE92 biofilm which did not secrete polyaspartate or gamma-polyglutamate). The corrosion potential ( E(corr)) of aluminum 2024 was increased by about 0.15-0.44 V due to the formation of B. subtilis and B. licheniformis biofilms as compared to sterile controls. The increase of E(corr) and the observed prevention of pitting indicate that the pitting potential ( E(pit)) had increased. This result and the further decrease of corrosion rates for the passive aluminum alloy suggest that the rate of the anodic metal dissolution reaction was reduced by an inhibitor produced by the biofilms. Purified gamma-polyglutamate also decreased the corrosion rates of aluminum 2024.

  15. Experimental design and Bayesian networks for enhancement of delta-endotoxin production by Bacillus thuringiensis.

    PubMed

    Ennouri, Karim; Ayed, Rayda Ben; Hassen, Hanen Ben; Mazzarello, Maura; Ottaviani, Ennio

    2015-12-01

    Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram-positive bacterium. The entomopathogenic activity of Bt is related to the existence of the crystal consisting of protoxins, also called delta-endotoxins. In order to optimize and explain the production of delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, we studied seven medium components: soybean meal, starch, KH₂PO₄, K₂HPO₄, FeSO₄, MnSO₄, and MgSO₄and their relationships with the concentration of delta-endotoxins using an experimental design (Plackett-Burman design) and Bayesian networks modelling. The effects of the ingredients of the culture medium on delta-endotoxins production were estimated. The developed model showed that different medium components are important for the Bacillus thuringiensis fermentation. The most important factors influenced the production of delta-endotoxins are FeSO₄, K2HPO₄, starch and soybean meal. Indeed, it was found that soybean meal, K₂HPO₄, KH₂PO₄and starch also showed positive effect on the delta-endotoxins production. However, FeSO4 and MnSO4 expressed opposite effect. The developed model, based on Bayesian techniques, can automatically learn emerging models in data to serve in the prediction of delta-endotoxins concentrations. The constructed model in the present study implies that experimental design (Plackett-Burman design) joined with Bayesian networks method could be used for identification of effect variables on delta-endotoxins variation.

  16. Protoplast transformation in coryneform bacteria and introduction of an alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens into Brevibacterium lactofermentum.

    PubMed Central

    Smith, M D; Flickinger, J L; Lineberger, D W; Schmidt, B

    1986-01-01

    The goal of this study was to investigate the likelihood of developing useful transformation systems for coryneform bacteria. Two species of coryneform bacteria, Brevibacterium lactofermentum and Corynebacterium lilium, were transformed with chimeras constructed from pUB110 and a cryptic coryneform plasmid (pGX1901). C. lilium protoplasts were also efficiently transfected with phage CS1 DNA. High transformation and transfection frequencies were obtained after only 2 min of lysozyme treatment of lysozyme-sensitive mutants. A series of experiments was also conducted to determine whether DNA from other species of important industrial microbes from the genus Bacillus could be expressed in coryneform bacteria. Evidence of restriction of Bacillus subtilis DNA by B. lactofermentum was observed but could be overcome. A Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase gene (amyEBamP) was subcloned onto a plasmid able to replicate in B. lactofermentum. B. lactofermentum transformants for this plasmid expressed amylase activity and produced material cross-reactive to amylase antibody. Images PMID:3008649

  17. A molecular model for illegitimate recombination in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Temeyer, K B; Hopkins, K M; Chapman, L F

    1991-01-01

    The recombinant DNA junctions at which pUB110 and Bacillus subtilis chromosomal DNA were joined to form the plasmid pKBT1 were cloned and sequenced. From the sequencing data we conclude that the pUB110 sequence is intact in the pair of cloned pKBT1 fragments and pTL12 sequences are not present. A molecular model for the formation of pKBT1 based on structural motifs characteristic of the joint sites is presented.

  18. The effectiveness of preplant seed bio-invigoration techniques using Bacillus sp. CKD061 to improving seed viability and vigor of several local upland rice cultivars of Southeast Sulawesi

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sutariati, G. A. K.; Bande, L. O. S.; Khaeruni, A.; Muhidin; Mudi, L.; Savitri, R. M.

    2018-02-01

    Research was aimed to evaluate the bio-invigoration techniques using Bacillus sp. CKD061 in improving seed viability and vigor of local upland rice. The research is arranged in factorial with completely randomized design (CRD). The different upland rice cultivars as first factor that consists of 11 cultivars, namely: Pae Tinangge, Pae Rowu, Pae Uwa, Pae Tanta, Pae Waburi-Buri, Pae Mornene, Pae Indalibana, Pae Lawarangka, Pae Huko, Pae Wagamba and Pae Momea. The second factor is the seed bio-invigoration technique, consists of 5 treatments, namely: without seed bio-invigoration (B0), NaCl + Bacillus sp. CKD061 (B1), KNO3 + Bacillus sp. CKD061 (B2), Ground burned-rice husk + Bacillus sp. CKD061 (B3), and Ground brick + Bacillus sp. CKD061 (B4). The results showed that seed bio-invigoration using Bacillus sp. CKD061 gave effect on the seed viability and vigor. Interaction of the seed bio-invigoration and upland rice cultivars were able to improve seed viability and vigor. Seed bio-invigoration ttreatment using ground brick + Bacillus sp. CKD061 was the best treatment, which could improve the viability and vigor of Pae Waburi-Buri, Pae Mornene and Pae Indalibana. The treatment increased vigor index by 133% in Pae Waburi-Buri and 127% in Pae Mornene, and Pae Indalibana compared with control.

  19. Recent field experiences with Bacillus thuringiensis in Canada and research needs

    Treesearch

    Oswald N. Morris

    1985-01-01

    The CANUSA working group on the use of B.t. against the spruce budworm has prepared a document entitled "Guidelines for the operational use of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) against the spruce budworm" following six years of extensive cooperative field trials in Canada and the U.S.A. (Morris et al 1984). The document summarized below (Table...

  20. Five new amicoumacins isolated from a marine-derived bacterium Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Li, Yongxin; Xu, Ying; Liu, Lingli; Han, Zhuang; Lai, Pok Yui; Guo, Xiangrong; Zhang, Xixiang; Lin, Wenhan; Qian, Pei-Yuan

    2012-02-01

    Four novel amicoumacins, namely lipoamicoumacins A-D (1-4), and one new bacilosarcin analog (5) were isolated from culture broth of a marine-derived bacterium Bacillus subtilis, together with six known amicoumacins. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic (2D NNR, IR, CD and MS) analysis and in comparison with data in literature.