Surfactin facilitates horizontal gene transfer in Bacillus subtilis

Danevčič, Tjaša (author), Dragoš, Anna (author), Špacapan, Mihael (author), Štefanič, Polonca (author), Dogša, Iztok (author), Mandić-Mulec, Ines (author)

Genetic competence for the uptake and integration of extracellular DNA is a key process in horizontal gene transfer (HGT), one of the most powerful forces driving the evolution of bacteria. In several species, development of genetic competence is coupled with cell lysis. Using Bacillus subtilis as a model bacterium, we studied the role of surfactin, a powerful biosurfactant and antimicrobial lipopeptide, in genetic transformation. We showed that surfactin itself promotes cell lysis and DNA release, thereby promoting HGT. These results, therefore, provide evidence for a fundamental mechanism involved in HGT and significantly increase our understanding of the spreading of antibiotic resistance genes and diversification of microbial communities in the environment.

• Language: English
• Keywords: quorum sensing, competence, surfactin, DNA exchange, extracellular DNA, cell lysis, horizontal gene transfer
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 8 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, art. 657407
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-134068
• UDC: 579.22/.26:579.852.11
• ISSN on article: 1664-302X
• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.657407
• COBISS.SI-ID: 58756355
• Publication date in RUL: 23.12.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Frontiers in microbiology
• Shortened title: Front. microbiol.
• Publisher: Frontiers Research Foundation
• ISSN: 1664-302X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 4146296

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Bacillus subtilis, zaznavanje kvoruma, horizontalni prenos genov, surfaktin