Biofilm Dispersal for Spore Release in Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

The dispersal of bacterial cells from a matured biofilm can be mediated either by active or passive mechanisms. In this issue of the Journal of Bacteriology , Nishikawa and Kobayashi demonstrate that the presence of calcium influences dispersal of spores from the pellicle biofilm of Bacillus subtilis . The authors propose that temporal heterogeneity in matrix production and chelation of calcium by dipicolinic acid in spores weakens the biofilm matrix and causes passive dispersal.

Inoculation with Biofilm of Bacillus subtilis Is a Safe and Sustainable Alternative to Promote Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Growth

“…spizizenii growing on a glycerol medium had increased stability compared to those growing on a glucose medium. Similar results have been observed in previous works conducted under laboratory conditions, even leading to dispersion when mild starvation occurred [53].…”

“…Moreover, spores are resistant and survive in more adverse conditions compared to vegetative cells. Thus, again, spore formation gives B. subtilis competitive advantages over other soil bacteria [26,53].…”

“…Several works have analyzed populations of vegetative cells and spores in biofilm and planktonic forms [20,[54][55][56]; the results were consistent with the present study, which showed that spores were in a higher proportion in the biofilm compared to the planktonic inoculum. Moreover, it has been observed that biofilms of B. subtilis can develop external projections or fruiting bodies, which can enhance spore dispersion [54,55]; in the sequence, the spores could colonize new regions after turning into vegetative cells [53]. Therefore, a higher spore load of a biofilm ensures its greater persistence and resilience against fluctuations in the environment compared with a planktonic inoculum.…”

The role and regulation of pulcherrimin during Bacillus subtilis biofilm development

“…During this stage, biofilm disruption is triggered 32 . Spores and newly differentiated motile cells are released from the matrix, so they can disperse and colonize a new environment, thus restarting the biofilm life cycle 3,33,34 .…”

“…The process of biofilm formation in B. subtilis has been extensively researched in terms of its initiation and maturation 56,61,204 . However, a gap in knowledge exists when it comes to understanding the mechanisms related to biofilm dispersal 33 . Due to its importance and complexity, this phase of the biofilm lifecycle requires further investigation.…”