Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Preprints |
| DOI | 10.1101/2025.03.21.644447 |
| Title (Primary) | Cannibalism shapes biofilm structure and composition in Bacillus subtilis |
| Author | Friebel, L.; Knepper, J.-P.; Becker, N.S.; Abbaszade, G.; Stückrath, K.; Müller, S.; Dreisewerd, K.; Mascher, T. |
| Source Titel | bioRxiv |
| Year | 2025 |
| Department | AME |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T7 Bioeconomy |
| Abstract | In Bacillus subtilis colony biofilms, phenotypic diversification confers tissue-like properties and enhanced competitive fitness within a structural framework that allows both colony expansion and long-term survival via endospore formation. Cannibalism is thought to delay sporulation by enabling one subpopulation to produce the sporulation delay protein SDP, the sporulation killing factor SKF and the epipeptide EPE. These toxins are thought to lyse susceptible nonproducers, thereby releasing nutrients to prevent premature sporulation. However, the molecular mechanisms orchestrating this bacterial programmed cell death during biofilm development are poorly understood. Here, we comprehensively characterized mutants defective in either toxin production or the corresponding autoimmunity by a multiscale approach, combining luminescence reporters, colony biopsy, multi-parameter flow cytometry and MALDI-mass spectrometry imaging to resolve cannibalism function and distribution. The toxins are produced in distinct, only partially overlapping areas of the colony and interdepend in their spatial distribution. Both EPE and SDP, but not SKF, are crucial for delaying sporulation. Loss of EPE or SDP autoimmunity resulted in severe morphological changes and stress-induced occurrence of suppressor mutants. The absence of all three toxins led to small, hyper-sporulating colonies with excessive wrinkle formation, indicating that cannibalism is essential for maintaining biofilm structure and lateral expansion. Our results provide the first evidence for the complex interactions between the cannibalism toxins that shape biofilm architecture through bacterial programmed cell death. Localized toxin production and their spatial distribution affect the spatiotemporal organization, morphology and subpopulation dynamics within B. subtilis biofilms. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=30678 |
| Friebel, L., Knepper, J.-P., Becker, N.S., Abbaszade, G., Stückrath, K., Müller, S., Dreisewerd, K., Mascher, T. (2025): Cannibalism shapes biofilm structure and composition in Bacillus subtilis bioRxiv 10.1101/2025.03.21.644447 |
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