Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis
Abstract Spores of Bacillaceae, ubiquitous in soil, can withstand extreme conditions virtually indefinitely. The spore coat, one of the most sophisticated multiprotein complexes built by bacteria, protects the spore from environmental stresses and predators. In Bacillus subtilis, assembly of the mul...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08522-w |
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| author | Armand Lablaine Dimitri Juillot Ciarán Condon Rut Carballido-López |
| author_facet | Armand Lablaine Dimitri Juillot Ciarán Condon Rut Carballido-López |
| author_sort | Armand Lablaine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Spores of Bacillaceae, ubiquitous in soil, can withstand extreme conditions virtually indefinitely. The spore coat, one of the most sophisticated multiprotein complexes built by bacteria, protects the spore from environmental stresses and predators. In Bacillus subtilis, assembly of the multilayered coat initiates at the forespore pole and is perceived as a stable process that progresses continuously until covering the entire forespore surface. In contrast, in Bacillus cereus, coat formation initiates in the midspore region and extends outward to the spore poles. Using Structured Illumination Microscopy, we monitored B. subtilis coat development in real-time at the single-sporangium level with lateral resolution of 70 nm. We found that late-synthesized proteins from the innermost coat layers first assemble in the midspore region and are subsequently displaced toward the poles. This process is coupled with a unique redistribution of pre-assembled coat material across the forespore surface and influenced by outer coat development, highlighting a dynamic interplay in coat layer co-construction. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-12f6b94b68ed4d26adb68dcbaaf67d40 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-12f6b94b68ed4d26adb68dcbaaf67d402025-08-20T03:43:26ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-07-018111310.1038/s42003-025-08522-wReal-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilisArmand Lablaine0Dimitri Juillot1Ciarán Condon2Rut Carballido-López3Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis InstituteUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis InstituteExpression Génétique Microbienne (CNRS, Université de Paris-Cité), Institut de Biologie Physico-ChimiqueUniversité Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis InstituteAbstract Spores of Bacillaceae, ubiquitous in soil, can withstand extreme conditions virtually indefinitely. The spore coat, one of the most sophisticated multiprotein complexes built by bacteria, protects the spore from environmental stresses and predators. In Bacillus subtilis, assembly of the multilayered coat initiates at the forespore pole and is perceived as a stable process that progresses continuously until covering the entire forespore surface. In contrast, in Bacillus cereus, coat formation initiates in the midspore region and extends outward to the spore poles. Using Structured Illumination Microscopy, we monitored B. subtilis coat development in real-time at the single-sporangium level with lateral resolution of 70 nm. We found that late-synthesized proteins from the innermost coat layers first assemble in the midspore region and are subsequently displaced toward the poles. This process is coupled with a unique redistribution of pre-assembled coat material across the forespore surface and influenced by outer coat development, highlighting a dynamic interplay in coat layer co-construction.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08522-w |
| spellingShingle | Armand Lablaine Dimitri Juillot Ciarán Condon Rut Carballido-López Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis Communications Biology |
| title | Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis |
| title_full | Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis |
| title_fullStr | Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis |
| title_short | Real-time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in Bacillus subtilis |
| title_sort | real time nanoscale investigation of spore coat assembly in bacillus subtilis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08522-w |
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