TY - JOUR T1 - Identification of Bacillus subtilis SipW as a Bifunctional Signal Peptidase That Controls Surface-Adhered Biofilm Formation A1 - Terra,Rebecca A1 - Stanley-Wall,Nicola R. A1 - Cao,Guoqiang A1 - Lazazzera,Beth A. AU - Terra,Rebecca AU - Stanley-Wall,Nicola R. AU - Cao,Guoqiang AU - Lazazzera,Beth A. PY - 2012/6 Y1 - 2012/6 N2 -

Biofilms of microbial cells encased in an exopolymeric matrix can form on solid surfaces, but how bacteria sense a solid surface and upregulate biofilm genes is largely unknown. We investigated the role of the Bacillus subtilis signal peptidase, SipW, which has a unique role in forming biofilms on a solid surface and is not required at an air-liquid interface. Surprisingly, we found that the signal peptidase activity of SipW was not required for solid-surface biofilms. Furthermore, a SipW mutant protein was constructed that lacks the ability to form a solid-surface biofilm but still retains signal peptidase activity. Through genetic and gene expression tests, the non-signal peptidase role of SipW was found to activate biofilm matrix genes specifically when cells were on a solid surface. These data provide the first evidence that a signal peptidase is bifunctional and that SipW has a regulatory role in addition to its role as a signal peptidase.

AB -

Biofilms of microbial cells encased in an exopolymeric matrix can form on solid surfaces, but how bacteria sense a solid surface and upregulate biofilm genes is largely unknown. We investigated the role of the Bacillus subtilis signal peptidase, SipW, which has a unique role in forming biofilms on a solid surface and is not required at an air-liquid interface. Surprisingly, we found that the signal peptidase activity of SipW was not required for solid-surface biofilms. Furthermore, a SipW mutant protein was constructed that lacks the ability to form a solid-surface biofilm but still retains signal peptidase activity. Through genetic and gene expression tests, the non-signal peptidase role of SipW was found to activate biofilm matrix genes specifically when cells were on a solid surface. These data provide the first evidence that a signal peptidase is bifunctional and that SipW has a regulatory role in addition to its role as a signal peptidase.

U2 - 10.1128/JB.06780-11 DO - 10.1128/JB.06780-11 M1 - Article JO - Journal of Bacteriology JF - Journal of Bacteriology SN - 0021-9193 IS - 11 VL - 194 SP - 2781 EP - 2790 ER -