The Biocide Chlorine Dioxide Stimulates Biofilm Formation in Bacillus Subtilis by Activation of the Histidine Kinase KinC

Overview

Journal J Bacteriol

Publisher American Society for Microbiology

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2010 Oct 26

PMID 20971918

Citations 41

Authors

Moshe Shemesh

Roberto Kolter

Richard Losick

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Bacillus subtilis forms biofilms in response to signals that remain poorly defined. We report that biofilm formation is stimulated by sublethal doses of chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)), an extremely effective and fast-acting biocide. ClO(2) accelerated biofilm formation in B. subtilis as well as in other bacteria, suggesting that biofilm formation is a widely conserved response to sublethal doses of the agent. Biofilm formation depends on the synthesis of an extracellular matrix that holds the constituent cells together. We show that the transcription of the major operons responsible for the matrix production in B. subtilis, epsA-epsO and yqxM-sipW-tasA, was enhanced by ClO(2), in a manner that depended on the membrane-bound kinase KinC. Activation of KinC appeared to be due to the ability of ClO(2) to collapse the membrane potential. Importantly, strains unable to make a matrix were hypersensitive to ClO(2), indicating that biofilm formation is a defensive response that helps protect cells from the toxic effects of the biocide.

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