Genomic evolution of the marine bacterium < em > Phaeobacter inhibens < /em > during biofilm growth

This study aimed to elucidate the genetic basis of these phenotypic changes. Despite the progress made to date in characterizing the dispersal variants in P. inhibens, little is understood about the underlying genetic changes that result in the development of the specific variants. Here, P. inhibens phenotypic variation was linked to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in particular in genes affecting the competitive ability of P. inhibens, including genes related to the production of the antibiotic tropodithietic acid (TDA) and bacterial cell-cell communication (e.g. quorum sensing). This work is significant as it reveals how the biofilm-lifestyle might shape genome evolution in a cosmopolitan bacterium.PMID:34288701 | DOI:10.1128/AEM.00769-21

Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology - July 21, 2021 Category: Microbiology Authors: Marwan E Majzoub Kerensa McElroy Michael Maczka Stefan Schulz Torsten Thomas Suhelen Egan Source Type: research