Genomics and LC-MS Reveal Diverse Active Secondary Metabolites in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens WS-8

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens is an important plant disease-preventing and growth-promoting microorganism. B. amyloliquefaciens WS-8 can stimulate plant growth and has strong antifungal properties. In this study, we sequenced the complete genome of B. amyloliquefaciens WS-8 by Pacific Biosciences RSII (PacBio) Single Molecule Real-Time (SMRT) sequencing. The genome consists of one chromosome (3,929,787 bp) and no additional plasmids. The main bacteriostatic substances were determined by genome, transcriptome, and mass spectrometry data. We thereby laid a theoretical foundation for the utilization of the strain. By genomic analysis, we identified 19 putative biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites, most of which are potentially involved in the biosynthesis of numerous bioactive metabolites, including difficidin, fengycin, and surfactin. Furthermore, a potential class II lanthipeptide biosynthetic gene cluster and genes that are involved in auxin biosynthesis were found. Through the analysis of transcriptome data, we found that the key bacteriostatic genes, as predicted in the genome, exhibited different levels of mRNA expression. Through metabolite isolation, purification, and exposure experiments, we found that a variety of metabolites of WS-8 exert an inhibitory effect on the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea, which causes gray mold; by mass spectrometry, we found that the main substances are mainly iturins and fengycins. Therefore, this strain has the potential to be utilized as an antifungal agent in agriculture.