Nutrient Availability and Biofilm Polysaccharide Shape the Bacillaene-Dependent Antagonism of Bacillus subtilis against Salmonella Typhimurium

Abstract

Probiotic bacteria represent an alternative for controlling foodborne disease caused by Salmonella enterica , which constitutes a serious concern during food production due to its antibiotic resistance and resilience to environmental stress. Bacillus subtilis is gaining popularity as a probiotic, but its behavior in biofilms with pathogens such as Salmonella remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that the antagonism of B. subtilis is mediated by the polyketide bacillaene and that the production of bacillaene is a highly dynamic trait which depends on environmental factors such as nutrient availability and the presence of competitors.