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Expression of degQ gene and its effect on lipopeptide production as well as the formation of secretory proteases in Bacillus subtilis strains
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  • Lars Lilge,
  • Maliheh Vahidinasab,
  • Mareen Hoffmann,
  • Chantal Treinen,
  • Chanthiya Kuppusamy Nesamani,
  • Isabel Adiek,
  • Philipp Becker,
  • Marius Henkel,
  • Rudolf Hausmann
Lars Lilge
Universität Hohenheim

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Maliheh Vahidinasab
University of Hohenheim
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Mareen Hoffmann
University of Hohenheim
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Chantal Treinen
University of Hohenheim
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Chanthiya Kuppusamy Nesamani
University of Hohenheim
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Isabel Adiek
University of Hohenheim
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Philipp Becker
University of Hohenheim
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Marius Henkel
University of Hohenheim
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Rudolf Hausmann
University of Hohenheim
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Abstract

Bacillus subtilis is described as a promising production strain for lipopeptides. In the case of B. subtilis strains JABs24 and DSM10T, surfactin, and plipastatin are produced. Lipopeptide formation is controlled, among others, by the DegU response regulator. The activating phospho-transfer by the DegS sensor kinase is stimulated by the pleiotropic regulator DegQ, resulting in enhanced DegU activation. In B. subtilis 168, a point mutation in the degQ promoter region leads to a reduction in gene expression. Corresponding reporter strains showed a 14-fold reduced expression. This effect on degQ expression and the associated impact on lipopeptide formation was examined for B. subtilis JABs24, a lipopeptide-producing derivative of strain 168, and B. subtilis wild-type strain DSM10T, which has a native degQ expression. Based on the stimulatory effects of the DegU regulator on secretory protease formation, the impact of degQ expression on extracellular protease activity was additionally investigated. To follow the impact of degQ, a deletion mutant was constructed for DSM10T, while a natively expressed degQ version was integrated into strain JABs24. This allowed strain-specific quantification of the stimulatory effect of degQ expression on plipastatin and the negative effect on surfactin production in strains JABs24 and DSM10T. While an unaffected degQ expression reduced surfactin production in JABs24 by about 25%, a 6-fold increase in plipastatin was observed. In contrast, degQ deletion in DSM10T increased surfactin titer by 3-fold but decreased plipastatin production by 5-fold. In addition, although significant differences in extracellular protease activity were detected, no decrease in plipastatin and surfactin produced during cultivation was observed.
08 Apr 2021Submitted to MicrobiologyOpen
08 Apr 2021Submission Checks Completed
08 Apr 2021Assigned to Editor
08 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
01 May 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
06 May 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
11 Aug 20211st Revision Received
13 Aug 2021Submission Checks Completed
13 Aug 2021Assigned to Editor
16 Aug 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Aug 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
14 Sep 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
16 Sep 20212nd Revision Received
16 Sep 2021Submission Checks Completed
16 Sep 2021Assigned to Editor
16 Sep 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Sep 2021Editorial Decision: Accept