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A comprehensive proteomics and transcriptomics analysis of Bacillus subtilis salt stress adaptation
Hannes Hahne1, Ulrike Mäder, Andreas Otto
1Institut für Mikrobiologie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 15, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany.
Journal of Bacteriology
|December 2, 2009
Summary
Bacillus subtilis rapidly adapts to salt stress by coordinating gene expression. This study reveals widespread gene upregulation, including key regulons, offering insights into bacterial osmoregulation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Bacillus subtilis encounters fluctuating environmental osmolarity.
- Adaptive stress responses are crucial for bacterial survival in changing habitats.
- Understanding salt stress mechanisms in bacteria is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To globally and time-resolvedly map the physiological response of B. subtilis to osmotic upshift.
- To identify genes and proteins involved in hyperosmotic stress adaptation.
- To provide a comprehensive dataset for further research on bacterial stress responses.
Main Methods:
- Whole-genome microarray technology for transcriptomic analysis.
- Metabolic labeling and advanced proteomic techniques for proteomic analysis.
- Quantitative analysis of mRNA and protein expression profiles in cytosol and membrane fractions.
Main Results:
- Quantitative data for 3,961 mRNA and 590/383 protein expression profiles (cytosol/membrane).
- Coordinated induction of gene expression involving SigB, SigW, SigM, and SigX regulons.
- Osmotic upregulation of approximately 500 B. subtilis genes, including those outside known regulons.
Conclusions:
- Osmotic upshift triggers a coordinated and extensive transcriptional response in B. subtilis.
- The study provides a rich, quantitative dataset for investigating bacterial hyperosmotic stress.
- Identified upregulated genes offer new targets for understanding B. subtilis stress physiology.
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