Fungal Hyphae Colonization by Bacillus subtilis Relies on Biofilm Matrix Components

Author: mycolabadmin
2019-10-24
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Summary

This research explores how soil bacteria attach to and grow on fungal surfaces, similar to how biofilms form on our teeth or kitchen surfaces. The study shows that bacteria need to produce specific sticky substances to successfully attach to and colonize fungal surfaces. These findings help us understand how different microorganisms interact in soil and other natural environments. Impacts on everyday life: • Helps explain how beneficial bacteria and fungi interact in soil to support plant growth • Provides insights for developing better agricultural products that use beneficial microbes • Advances our understanding of how harmful bacterial-fungal interactions might be prevented • Could lead to new ways to promote helpful microbial communities in various settings • May help develop strategies to prevent unwanted biofilm formation in industrial or medical contexts

Background

Bacteria interact with fungi in various ways including physical associations where bacterial cells directly attach to fungal hyphae. While biofilm formation has been suggested to play a role in such colonization, the essential nature of biofilm matrix components had not been previously demonstrated. Understanding these interactions is important as biofilm communities in nature likely comprise both bacteria and fungi.

Objective

To demonstrate that secreted biofilm matrix components of the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis are essential for establishing dense bacterial populations on the hyphae of the black mold fungus Aspergillus niger and the mushroom Agaricus bisporus. Additionally, to illustrate how these matrix components can be shared among various mutants to enable colonization.

Results

The study found that B. subtilis colonization of fungal hyphae depends on the global regulator Spo0A and biofilm matrix components EPS and TasA, but not on the hydrophobin BslA or bacterial motility. Mutants lacking EPS or TasA were unable to form biofilms on fungal hyphae, but could be rescued through co-cultivation with either wild-type strains or complementary mutants, demonstrating that secreted matrix components can be shared among bacterial cells.

Conclusion

The research demonstrates that biofilm matrix components are essential for B. subtilis colonization of fungal hyphae, and these components can be shared among bacterial cells to enable colonization by matrix-deficient strains. This suggests that social interaction through shared matrix components likely shapes bacteria-fungi co-evolution in natural environments.

Published in:Biofilm,
Study Type:Laboratory Research,
Source: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2019.100007