Molecular mechanisms of silica-accumulating soil bacteria and their role in the silicon cycle

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25712009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied microbiology
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Ikeda Takeshi 広島大学, 先端物質科学研究科, 助教 (10505754)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 細菌 / 胞子 / ケイ素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We previously reported that Bacillus cereus and its close relatives accumulate silicon (Si) in and around a spore coat layer. Si is taken up from the environment as soluble silicate (Si[OH]4), which is then polymerized and accumulated as insoluble silica (SiO2). The spore coat is a proteinaceous shell composed of more than 50 proteins. Silica accumulation in and around the spore coat strongly suggests that spore coat proteins play an important role in silica formation. In this study, we found that one of the spore coat proteins, CotB1, mediates the accumulation of silica.

Free Research Field

生物工学