Norspermidine is not a self-produced trigger for biofilm disassembly

TY - JOUR

T1 - Norspermidine is not a self-produced trigger for biofilm disassembly

AU - Hobley, Laura

AU - Kim, Sok Ho

AU - Maezato, Yukari

AU - Wyllie, Susan

AU - Fairlamb, Alan H.

AU - Stanley-Wall, Nicola R.

AU - Michael, Anthony J.

N1 - Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PY - 2014/2/13

Y1 - 2014/2/13

N2 - Formation of Bacillus subtilis biofilms, consisting of cells encapsulated within an extracellular matrix of exopolysaccharide and protein, requires the polyamine spermidine. A recent study reported that (1) related polyamine norspermidine is synthesized by B. subtilis using the equivalent of the Vibrio cholerae biosynthetic pathway, (2) exogenous norspermidine at 25 µM prevents B. subtilis biofilm formation, (3) endogenous norspermidine is present in biofilms at 50-80 µM, and (4) norspermidine prevents biofilm formation by condensing biofilm exopolysaccharide. In contrast, we find that, at concentrations up to 200 µM, exogenous norspermidine promotes biofilm formation. We find that norspermidine is absent in wild-type B. subtilis biofilms at all stages, and higher concentrations of exogenous norspermidine eventually inhibit planktonic growth and biofilm formation in an exopolysaccharide-independent manner. Moreover, orthologs of the V. cholerae norspermidine biosynthetic pathway are absent from B. subtilis, confirming that norspermidine is not physiologically relevant to biofilm function in this species.

AB - Formation of Bacillus subtilis biofilms, consisting of cells encapsulated within an extracellular matrix of exopolysaccharide and protein, requires the polyamine spermidine. A recent study reported that (1) related polyamine norspermidine is synthesized by B. subtilis using the equivalent of the Vibrio cholerae biosynthetic pathway, (2) exogenous norspermidine at 25 µM prevents B. subtilis biofilm formation, (3) endogenous norspermidine is present in biofilms at 50-80 µM, and (4) norspermidine prevents biofilm formation by condensing biofilm exopolysaccharide. In contrast, we find that, at concentrations up to 200 µM, exogenous norspermidine promotes biofilm formation. We find that norspermidine is absent in wild-type B. subtilis biofilms at all stages, and higher concentrations of exogenous norspermidine eventually inhibit planktonic growth and biofilm formation in an exopolysaccharide-independent manner. Moreover, orthologs of the V. cholerae norspermidine biosynthetic pathway are absent from B. subtilis, confirming that norspermidine is not physiologically relevant to biofilm function in this species.

U2 - 10.1016/j.cell.2014.01.012

DO - 10.1016/j.cell.2014.01.012

M3 - Article

C2 - 24529384

SN - 0092-8674

VL - 156

SP - 844

EP - 854

JO - Cell

JF - Cell

IS - 4

ER -