Paenibacillus dendritiformis

Motile, gram positive, facultative anaerobe. First isolated in 1993 by Eshel Ben-Jacob. Found in soil, water, rhizospheres and insect larvae. Best cultured at 37C with pH of 5.6.

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

Discovery

Discovered in early 90's by Eshel Ben-Jacob et al.

Originally classified as Bacillus then reclassified in 1993

Found in soil, rhizosphere, vegetable matter, and insect larvae

Increasing interest due to possible importance in industry,  agriculture and medicine.

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

Morphology

Paenibacillus = almost rod-shaped

Dendritiformis = tree shaped

Spiral patterns 

   -T Morphotype- tip splitting

   -C Morphotype - Chiral, not identical to its mirror image

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

Lab Growth

LB broth

Between 20-45C

Optimal growth at 37C

Rod Shaped

1-2 mm in diameter

5.6 or 5.7 pH

Isolated occasionally from B. subtillis

Turns blue on X-gal plates

Drug resistant to: Penicillin, Septrin, Kanamycin, Tetracylcine, Streptomycin and others

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

A Social Bacteria

Complex colony formation requires self organization and cooperation of individual cells as well as chemical communication

Cell differentiation and task distribution

Ability to switch between morphotypes

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

Sibling Lethal Factor

Discovered in 2000

Sibling colonies inoculated side by side can inhibit the growth of one another by secreting a protein label Sibling Lethal Factor, SLF.

Acts selectively on the same bacterial strain

In high amounts causes induced death of cells close to border 

In sublethal amounts can induce morphotype and cell shape switching from cocci to motile rod shape.

Reversible

[paenibacillusdendritiformis]

Sequencing

Genomic sequence is now available and is soon to be published by Tel-Aviv Uniersity, Israel