170
C. C. V. Velloso et al.
B. paralicheniformis strain KMS 80, isolated from rice root is able to fix nitrogen
presenting almost 21 genes involved in nitrogen metabolism pathway such as glnA,
glnL, glnR, glnT, tnrA, and nif H gene, etc. (Annapurna et al. 2018). In the genome
of Bacillus sp. MHSD28 strain, endophytic bacteria isolated from the medicinal
plant Dicoma anomala, several genes associated with PGP have also been identified
(Makuwa and Serepa-Dlamini 2019). In addition, due to the growing number of
sequenced endophytic Bacillus genomes, the identification of bioactive compounds
has been predicted and their production confirmed, revealing that endophytic bacillus
species are underexploited sources of new molecules of biotechnological interest
(Radhakrishnan et al. 2017; Lopes et al. 2018). For example, genome studies of B.
amyloliquefaciens showed an increase of new strain-specific secondary metabolite
clusters that play key roles in pathogen suppression and PGP (Belbahri et al. 2017).
Recently, our research group sequenced the genome of two PGP strains: B.
thuringiensis B116 and B. megaterium B119 isolated from tropical maize capable of
increasing yield and phosphorus content in maize grains in field experiments (Vieira
Velloso et al. 2020). The draft genome of these two strains shows the genes related
to endospore formation, chemotaxis, motility, competition in the rhizosphere, and
several mechanisms of PGP. Both Bacillus species are able to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) and fix nitrogen. However, B. megaterium produces higher amounts
of IAA and siderophores, whereas B. thuringiensis is characterized as the best biofilm
producer and is capable to solubilize more insoluble phosphate (Vieira Velloso et al.
2020).
Overall, new molecular and genomic techniques accelerate the identification of
bioactive compounds useful for agricultural and medical applications; reveal mechanism and pathways; and help to optimize in vitro isolation and biochemical characterization. Moreover, these techniques allow rapid identification of microorganisms
and enable the characterization of microbiome diversity, since uncultivable microorganisms can also be detected. Thus, understanding the dynamics of the microbial
community in different environments increases the discovery of new proteins and
metabolites and the comprehension of stress tolerance and biotechnological applications (Hirel and Lea 2018; Imam et al. 2016; Krishnamurthy et al. 2018; Upadhyay
et al. 2017).
7.5 Commercialization and Challenge of Bacillus
Biotechnological Products
Bacillus is one of the main microorganisms involved in the generation of biotechnological products for agriculture, representing the most important group for use in
biological control in the form of insecticides, fungicides, bactericides, nematicides,
as well as stress tolerance stimulants, and plant growth promoters. Among bacterial biocontrol agents, Bacillus species account for over 50% of marketed products,
with B. thuringiensis contributing over 70% of this market (Ongena and Jacques
C. C. V. Velloso et al.
B. paralicheniformis strain KMS 80, isolated from rice root is able to fix nitrogen
presenting almost 21 genes involved in nitrogen metabolism pathway such as glnA,
glnL, glnR, glnT, tnrA, and nif H gene, etc. (Annapurna et al. 2018). In the genome
of Bacillus sp. MHSD28 strain, endophytic bacteria isolated from the medicinal
plant Dicoma anomala, several genes associated with PGP have also been identified
(Makuwa and Serepa-Dlamini 2019). In addition, due to the growing number of
sequenced endophytic Bacillus genomes, the identification of bioactive compounds
has been predicted and their production confirmed, revealing that endophytic bacillus
species are underexploited sources of new molecules of biotechnological interest
(Radhakrishnan et al. 2017; Lopes et al. 2018). For example, genome studies of B.
amyloliquefaciens showed an increase of new strain-specific secondary metabolite
clusters that play key roles in pathogen suppression and PGP (Belbahri et al. 2017).
Recently, our research group sequenced the genome of two PGP strains: B.
thuringiensis B116 and B. megaterium B119 isolated from tropical maize capable of
increasing yield and phosphorus content in maize grains in field experiments (Vieira
Velloso et al. 2020). The draft genome of these two strains shows the genes related
to endospore formation, chemotaxis, motility, competition in the rhizosphere, and
several mechanisms of PGP. Both Bacillus species are able to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) and fix nitrogen. However, B. megaterium produces higher amounts
of IAA and siderophores, whereas B. thuringiensis is characterized as the best biofilm
producer and is capable to solubilize more insoluble phosphate (Vieira Velloso et al.
2020).
Overall, new molecular and genomic techniques accelerate the identification of
bioactive compounds useful for agricultural and medical applications; reveal mechanism and pathways; and help to optimize in vitro isolation and biochemical characterization. Moreover, these techniques allow rapid identification of microorganisms
and enable the characterization of microbiome diversity, since uncultivable microorganisms can also be detected. Thus, understanding the dynamics of the microbial
community in different environments increases the discovery of new proteins and
metabolites and the comprehension of stress tolerance and biotechnological applications (Hirel and Lea 2018; Imam et al. 2016; Krishnamurthy et al. 2018; Upadhyay
et al. 2017).
7.5 Commercialization and Challenge of Bacillus
Biotechnological Products
Bacillus is one of the main microorganisms involved in the generation of biotechnological products for agriculture, representing the most important group for use in
biological control in the form of insecticides, fungicides, bactericides, nematicides,
as well as stress tolerance stimulants, and plant growth promoters. Among bacterial biocontrol agents, Bacillus species account for over 50% of marketed products,
with B. thuringiensis contributing over 70% of this market (Ongena and Jacques