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Growing Magnetotactic Bacteria of the Genus Magnetospirillum: Strains MSR-1, AMB-1 and MS-1
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Published on: October 17, 2018

MANGANESE REQUIREMENT FOR SPORULATION AND OTHER SECONDARY BIOSYNTHETIC PROCESSES OF BACILLUS

E D WEINBERG

    Applied Microbiology
    |September 1, 1964
    PubMed

    Insights

    Manganese is crucial for Bacillus bacteria, enabling antibiotic production and spore formation. Specific trace elements like selenium and nickel can inhibit this essential manganese-induced sporulation process.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Biochemistry

    Background:

    • Manganese is essential for Bacillus species, supporting secondary metabolite synthesis (e.g., antibiotics, endospores) and vegetative cell longevity.
    • No other element can substitute for manganese in these biological processes.
    • Manganese requirement is universal across Bacillus secondary biosynthetic pathways.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of manganese in inducing sporulation in Bacillus megaterium.
    • To identify other trace elements that may interfere with manganese-induced sporulation.

    Main Methods:

    • Bacillus megaterium cultures were grown in synthetic broth.
    • Manganese was added at various time points, including as late as 100 hours post-inoculation.
    • Sub-bactericidal concentrations of trace elements were added shortly after manganese to assess interference with sporulation.

    Main Results:

    • Manganese effectively induced sporulation in B. megaterium, even when added late in the culture growth (100 hr).
    • Several trace elements, specifically chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, selenium, and nickel, suppressed manganese-induced sporulation.
    • Selenium and nickel were identified as the most potent inhibitors of manganese-dependent spore formation.

    Conclusions:

    • Manganese plays a critical, non-substitutable role in Bacillus sporulation and secondary metabolism.
    • The sporulation process induced by manganese is sensitive to specific trace elements, with selenium and nickel exhibiting significant inhibitory effects.
    Keywords:
    BACILLUSCHROMIUMEXPERIMENTAL LAB STUDYMANGANESEMETABOLISMMOLYBDENUMNICKELSELENIUMTELLURIUMTUNGSTEN

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