166
C. C. V. Velloso et al.
such as Fusarium, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and V. anguillarum, indicating biological control potential have also been observed (Castro et al.
2014).
7.4 Bacillus in Post-Genomic Era
The development of bioinformatics tool coupled to constant innovation in sequencing
platforms enabled genome sequencing and annotation, metabolic pathway construction, new bioactive molecules as well as their biochemical properties allowing the
clarification of new mechanisms related to plant growth-promoting (Blin et al. 2017;
Blom et al. 2016; Conesa et al. 2005; Kanehisa et al. 2016; Koskinen et al. 2015;
Seemann 2014). In addition, advances in DNA sequencing technologies reduced the
sequence cost per base, allowing sequencing complete genomes with an affordable
price, allowing a deeper and global knowledge that considers gene and metabolic
pathways instead of isolated information. Complete or draft of PGPB genome allows
the characterization of gene content, genome structure, PGP mechanisms, and in
silico physiological, ecological, and evolution studies (Belbahri et al. 2017; Chaudhry
et al. 2017; Ma et al. 2018).
The first Gram-positive PGPB to have the fully sequenced genome mapped was
B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum, FZB42T (Chen et al. 2007). Subsequently,
several genomes of Bacillus capable of PGP and acting on biocontrol were available
(Table 7.1). To date, more than 4,600 genomes of this genus have been sequenced,
ranging from approximately 0.56 to 9.84 Mb in different assembly level and are available in the GenBank database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/browse/#!/pro
karyotes/bacillus).
The genome content of different endophytic Bacillus strains reveals that a significant portion of the genome encodes proteins related to molecules with biotechnological applications. A comparative study of 31 Bacillus genomes showed that plantrelated Bacillus strains contain more genes involved in intermediary metabolism
and secondary metabolites production than non-plant associated strains. In addition, plant-related Bacillus strains possess additional genes involved in utilization
of plant-derived substrates and synthesis of antibiotics, which have arisen via horizontal gene transfer events during the evolutionary process (Zhang et al. 2016). For
example, endophytic B. velezensis CC09 genome, capable of promoting growth and
preventing fungal disease in plants, is related to nonribosomal peptide synthetase,
polyketide synthetase, as well as genes related to iron acquisition, colonization,
and synthesis of volatile organic compounds (Cai et al. 2016). Clusters of genes
responsible for antifungal (fengicin, surfactin, bacillisin) and antibacterial metabolites (butyrosine, bacillene, difficidine, macrolactin, surfactin, bacillisin), as well as
genes associated with PGP including phosphate solubilization, siderophores production, and pathogen growth inhibition were also found in the genome of the endophytic
B. velezensis LDO2 (Chen et al. 2019).
C. C. V. Velloso et al.
such as Fusarium, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and V. anguillarum, indicating biological control potential have also been observed (Castro et al.
2014).
7.4 Bacillus in Post-Genomic Era
The development of bioinformatics tool coupled to constant innovation in sequencing
platforms enabled genome sequencing and annotation, metabolic pathway construction, new bioactive molecules as well as their biochemical properties allowing the
clarification of new mechanisms related to plant growth-promoting (Blin et al. 2017;
Blom et al. 2016; Conesa et al. 2005; Kanehisa et al. 2016; Koskinen et al. 2015;
Seemann 2014). In addition, advances in DNA sequencing technologies reduced the
sequence cost per base, allowing sequencing complete genomes with an affordable
price, allowing a deeper and global knowledge that considers gene and metabolic
pathways instead of isolated information. Complete or draft of PGPB genome allows
the characterization of gene content, genome structure, PGP mechanisms, and in
silico physiological, ecological, and evolution studies (Belbahri et al. 2017; Chaudhry
et al. 2017; Ma et al. 2018).
The first Gram-positive PGPB to have the fully sequenced genome mapped was
B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum, FZB42T (Chen et al. 2007). Subsequently,
several genomes of Bacillus capable of PGP and acting on biocontrol were available
(Table 7.1). To date, more than 4,600 genomes of this genus have been sequenced,
ranging from approximately 0.56 to 9.84 Mb in different assembly level and are available in the GenBank database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/browse/#!/pro
karyotes/bacillus).
The genome content of different endophytic Bacillus strains reveals that a significant portion of the genome encodes proteins related to molecules with biotechnological applications. A comparative study of 31 Bacillus genomes showed that plantrelated Bacillus strains contain more genes involved in intermediary metabolism
and secondary metabolites production than non-plant associated strains. In addition, plant-related Bacillus strains possess additional genes involved in utilization
of plant-derived substrates and synthesis of antibiotics, which have arisen via horizontal gene transfer events during the evolutionary process (Zhang et al. 2016). For
example, endophytic B. velezensis CC09 genome, capable of promoting growth and
preventing fungal disease in plants, is related to nonribosomal peptide synthetase,
polyketide synthetase, as well as genes related to iron acquisition, colonization,
and synthesis of volatile organic compounds (Cai et al. 2016). Clusters of genes
responsible for antifungal (fengicin, surfactin, bacillisin) and antibacterial metabolites (butyrosine, bacillene, difficidine, macrolactin, surfactin, bacillisin), as well as
genes associated with PGP including phosphate solubilization, siderophores production, and pathogen growth inhibition were also found in the genome of the endophytic
B. velezensis LDO2 (Chen et al. 2019).