Complete genome sequence of the industrial bacterium Bacillus licheniformis and comparisons with closely related Bacillus species.
BACKGROUND
Bacillus licheniformis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming soil bacterium that is used in the biotechnology industry to manufacture enzymes, antibiotics, biochemicals and consumer products. This species is closely related to the well studied model organism Bacillus subtilis, and produces an assortment of extracellular enzymes that may contribute to nutrient cycling in nature.


RESULTS
We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the B. licheniformis ATCC 14580 genome which comprises a circular chromosome of 4,222,336 base-pairs (bp) containing 4,208 predicted protein-coding genes with an average size of 873 bp, seven rRNA operons, and 72 tRNA genes. The B. licheniformis chromosome contains large regions that are colinear with the genomes of B. subtilis and Bacillus halodurans, and approximately 80% of the predicted B. licheniformis coding sequences have B. subtilis orthologs.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the unmistakable organizational similarities between the B. licheniformis and B. subtilis genomes, there are notable differences in the numbers and locations of prophages, transposable elements and a number of extracellular enzymes and secondary metabolic pathway operons that distinguish these species. Differences include a region of more than 80 kilobases (kb) that comprises a cluster of polyketide synthase genes and a second operon of 38 kb encoding plipastatin synthase enzymes that are absent in the B. licheniformis genome. The availability of a completed genome sequence for B. licheniformis should facilitate the design and construction of improved industrial strains and allow for comparative genomics and evolutionary studies within this group of Bacillaceae.
Novozymes Biotech Inc, 1445 Drew Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA. mwr@novozymes.com
Michael W
MW
Rey
Preethi
P
Ramaiya
Beth A
BA
Nelson
Shari D
SD
Brody-Karpin
Elizabeth J
EJ
Zaretsky
Maria
M
Tang
Alfredo
A
Lopez de Leon
Henry
H
Xiang
Veronica
V
Gusti
Ib Groth
IG
Clausen
Peter B
PB
Olsen
Michael D
MD
Rasmussen
Jens T
JT
Andersen
Per L
PL
Jørgensen
Thomas S
TS
Larsen
Alexei
A
Sorokin
Alexander
A
Bolotin
Alla
A
Lapidus
Nathalie
N
Galleron
S Dusko
SD
Ehrlich
Randy M
RM
Berka
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D001407:Bacillus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D039002:Prophages / Q000235:genetics; D021381:Protein Transport; D017262:Siderophores / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D017262:Siderophores