Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Algicidal Mechanism of Brevibacillus laterosporus against Microcystis aeruginosa through Multiple Metabolic Pathways

Abstract

It is widely accepted that eutrophication has played an important role in the formation of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in recent decades, which impacts water quality and ecological environment and causes huge economic losses. Algicidal bacteria have a promising application prospect in controlling cyanobacterial blooms in aquaculture water. Here, the process of the algicidal bacterium Brevibacillus laterosporus strain Bl-zj acting on Microcystis aeruginosa was explored using transcriptome analysis to elucidate the algicidal mechanism. The results of the co-culture of bacterium and alga showed a strong alga-lysing effect of B. laterosporus against M. aeruginosa with an extreme morphology deformation of the algal cells. A total of 2744 differentially expressed genes of B. laterosporus were identified, which were mainly involved in the metabolism of amino acid, carbohydrate, and lipid. In the co-cultured group, the expression of genes mainly enriched in valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation, and fatty acid degradation were significantly increased. However, the expression of the genes related to ribosome were mainly inhibited. Transcriptome analysis showed that B. laterosporus obtained ATP and energy by the degradation of valine, leucine, isoleucine, and fatty acids, and destroyed algal cells by efflux pump transporters, secretion of hydrolytic enzymes, antibiotics, proteases, and other secondary metabolites, resulting in algal death and achieving the algicidal effect.