Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
07:40
Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
Published on: October 29, 2016
DegU co-ordinates multicellular behaviour exhibited by Bacillus subtilis
Daniël T Verhamme1, Taryn B Kiley, Nicola R Stanley-Wall
1Division of Environmental and Applied Biology, College of Life Sciences, MSI/WTB/JBC Complex, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4EH, UK.
Molecular Microbiology
|June 26, 2007
Summary
Bacillus subtilis uses the regulator DegU to control multicellular behaviors like motility and protease production. Different phosphorylation levels of DegU activate or inhibit specific processes, allowing coordinated community activity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Physiology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Unicellular organisms coordinate community activities for complex multicellular processes.
- Regulation of physiologically incompatible processes is crucial for coordinated behavior.
- The response regulator DegU in Bacillus subtilis controls multiple multicellular behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how DegU integrates environmental signals to coordinate multicellular behaviors in Bacillus subtilis.
- To elucidate the role of DegU phosphorylation levels in regulating genetic competence, swarming motility, biofilm formation, colony architecture, and protease production.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of DegU phosphorylation levels and their correlation with specific multicellular behaviors.
- Investigating the role of the sensor kinase DegS in DegU activation.
- Identifying novel genes, such as yvcA, involved in complex colony architecture regulated by DegU.
Main Results:
- Swarming motility is activated by very low DegU phosphorylation levels, independent of DegS.
- Complex colony architecture requires low DegU phosphorylation levels, dependent on DegS, activating yvcA transcription.
- High DegU phosphorylation levels inhibit colony architecture and swarming but are necessary for exoprotease production.
Conclusions:
- DegU acts as a central regulator integrating environmental signals to control diverse multicellular behaviors in Bacillus subtilis.
- Differential phosphorylation of DegU allows for the precise temporal and spatial regulation of incompatible processes.
- A model is proposed for the evolution of this regulatory system to manage complex community behaviors through a single regulator.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Bacterial Signaling
Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
01:29Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria
The DNA replication, transcription, and translation processes are intricately coupled in bacteria, allowing efficient gene expression and rapid protein synthesis. While this physical and functional coordination is advantageous, it introduces challenges that bacteria overcome through specific regulatory mechanisms.Coupling of Replication, Transcription, and TranslationThe coupling of replication, transcription, and translation is a hallmark of bacterial gene expression. As the replisome unwinds...
01:27Chemotaxis in E. coli
Chemotaxis in Escherichia coli is a sensory-driven motility mechanism that enables bacteria to navigate chemical gradients, moving toward beneficial environments while avoiding harmful conditions. This process relies on a signal transduction system integrating external chemical cues with flagellar motor control.Chemoreceptors and Signal DetectionE. coli detects chemical gradients through methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs), which are membrane-bound chemoreceptors that sense attractants...
01:28Regulation of Bacterial Virulence
Pathogenic bacteria employ a range of regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of virulence genes in response to environmental and host-derived signals. These mechanisms ensure that virulence factors are expressed only under favorable conditions, thereby optimizing infection and survival strategies.Mechanisms of Virulence RegulationKey regulatory strategies include:Two-Component Systems: These consist of a membrane-bound sensor kinase and a cytoplasmic response regulator. Environmental...
01:18Flagella and Motility in Bacteria
Flagella are specialized, thread-like structures that extend from a bacteria's cell envelope. They play a crucial role in motility and chemotaxis. Their structural organization and functioning exemplify sophisticated biological engineering, enabling bacterial survival and adaptability in diverse environments.Structure of the FlagellumA bacterial flagellum consists of three key components: the filament, the hook, and basal body. The filament, a long, helical structure composed of repeating...
01:29Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria
Bacterial cells were initially considered simple, randomly organized structures lacking a cytoskeleton. However, the discovery of cytoskeleton homologs in bacteria led to the change of this opinion. Bacterial cytoskeletal filaments regulate the cell shape, cell polarity, cell division, and partitioning of plasmids during cell division. It was later discovered that bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, mainly actin and tubulin homologs, are diverse compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. On the...