The Bacillus subtilis circadian clock coordinates intricate spatiotemporal organisation

Nature Communications, vol. 17

Abstract

Many organisms have circadian clocks that anticipate the risks and benefits of the predictable 24 h solar cycle. However, the potential functions of circadian clocks in non-photosynthetic bacteria are poorly understood. Here, we show that the Bacillus subtilis circadian clock regulates colony expansion, in concert with key developmental and differentiation pathways that are central to its life cycle. The B. subtilis clock coordinates the spatiotemporal organisation of gene expression within expanding colonies by timing various processes to specific phases (times of day) within distinct colony regions. Our results support the idea that circadian clock-regulation over space, time and colony development in B. subtilis is analogous to circadian regulation of some processes in multicellular eukaryotes such as plants and mammals. The potential functions of circadian clocks in non-photosynthetic bacteria are poorly understood. Here, the authors show that the Bacillus subtilis circadian clock regulates the spatiotemporal organisation of gene expression within expanding colonies, by timing various processes to specific times of day within distinct colony regions.

Authors 13

1. Jack Dorling

   John Innes Centre · Norwich Research Park

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK

2. Francesca Sartor

   Institut für Medizinische Psychologie · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

3. Borja Ferrero‐Bordera

   Institut für Medizinische Psychologie · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

4. Edward Godfrey

   University of Bristol · Institut für Medizinische Psychologie · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

   School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

5. Zheng Eelderink-Chen

   Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research · Institut für Medizinische Psychologie · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

   Affiliation as printed

   Department for Molecular Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

   Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

6. Ella Baker

   John Innes Centre · Norwich Research Park

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK

7. Isobel K Banks

   John Innes Centre · Norwich Research Park

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK

8. Akshat Joshipura

   Institut für Medizinische Psychologie · Technical University of Munich · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Molecular Immunology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany

   Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

9. Xinming Xu Aachen Institute of Biology, Leiden University

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

10. Romain Avellan Aachen Institute of Biology, Leiden University

    Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

11. Ákos T. Kovács Aachen Institute of Biology, Leiden University

    Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

12. Antony N. Dodd corresponding

    John Innes Centre · Norwich Research Park

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK. antony.dodd@jic.ac.uk

13. Martha W. Merrow corresponding

    University of Oxford · Institut für Medizinische Psychologie · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. martha.merrow@med.uni-muenchen.de

    Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. martha.merrow@med.uni-muenchen.de