Agricultural Microbes Genome 2 Conference

Session: Functional Genomics & Applications
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FROM GENOME TO FUNCTION: SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE SOIL BACTERIUM, Bacillus subtilis

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK

² Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, King George VI Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

Bacillus subtilis is the best characterised and genetically most amenable Gram-positive bacterium. Together with its close relatives, it is widely used in the biotechnological, pharmaceutical, detergents and food industries. However, Bacillus species are also well-established and important colonisers of the rhizosphere and strains of Bacillus are increasingly being used in agriculture as agents for biocontrol and the promotion of plant growth. Bacillus species have significant potential advantages over other biocontrol bacteria: (i) they can be applied in agriculture/horticulture as spores on plant seeds, or in inoculants (e.g. peat), (ii) they have a long history of safe biotechnological use, (iii) the complete genomic sequence of B. subtilis has been determined, and (iv) many mutants are available. Nevertheless, despite the fact that Bacillus is currently one of the three best characterised micro-organisms, very little is known about the biocontrol mechanisms and rhizosphere colonisation of Bacillus species. Following the completion of its genome sequence in 1997, B. subtilis has been subjected to systematic programmes to identify the function of unknown reading frames (URFs) and to understand global regulatory responses to environmental stress. This has involved the development of a number of innovative approaches. Data from these programmes will be discussed, as will relevant features revealed by a bioinformatical analysis of the B. subtilis genome.