Abstract

In the present study, a new strain, Bacillus cereus ZY12, producing phospholipase D (PLD) was identified. The expression of PLD in this strain was found to be induced by its substrate, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and completely silenced by other carbon sources, such as glucose, fructose, and maltose, which are generally used in microbial growth cultures, thus presenting a unique expression pattern different from other PLD-producing microorganisms. This study is the first to report on the ability of B. cereus to produce PLD, and successfully clone its PLD-coding gene and identify its function, extending the knowledge on PLD distribution and evolution in microorganisms.

• Keywords: Bacillus cereus; phosphatidylcholine; Phospholipase D; substrate-induced gene expression