Abstract

The global RNA transcription profiles of Bacillus lentimorbus WJ5 under an in vitro co-culture with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were analyzed in order to study the antagonistic bacteria-fungi interactions. Using a filter membrane system, B. lentimorbus WJ5 was exposed to the spores of C. gloeosporioides at the late exponential stage. The transcription profiles of the B. lentimorbus WJ5, both with and without a challenge from C. gloeosporioides, were analyzed using custom DNA chips containing 2,000 genome fragments. A total of 337 genes were expressed, with 87 and 47 up- and down-regulated, respectively. Of these, 12 genes, which were involved in central carbon metabolisms, and 7 from minor catabolism were relatively highly up-regulated (> 10 fold) and down-regulated (< 0.2 fold), respectively. Nine genes, which were thought to be related to the antifungal activity, were also up-regulated, but their levels were not so high (2.0 - 9.7 folds). From the results, during the early stage of the co-culture of B. lentimorbus WJ5 and C. gloeosporioides, nutrient competition seemed to occur; therefore, the genes from central carbon metabolisms could be up-regulated, while those from minor catabolism could be down-regulated.

• Keywords: Antifungal activity; bacteria-fungi interaction; Bacillus lentimorbus WJ5; Colletotrichum gloeosporioides; nutrient competition