Bacillus subtilis spatial organization

Description of Project:

Bacillus subtilis has long been studied as a model for cellular differentiation, predominantly from the perspective of a single cell. Within the context of a biofilm, we discovered that spore formation has a distinct spatial organization. Initially motile cells differentiate into chains of cells that form parallel bundles, which eventually produce aerial structures. These aerial structures, or fruiting bodies, serve as preferential sites for sporulation. I am utilizing cell-type specific promoters and fluorescent reporter molecules coupled with fluorescence microscopy to map out the spatial anatomy of a B. subtilis biofilm. Furthermore, I am interested in understanding how small molecules produced by other organisms alter the spatial organization of cells within a B. subtilis biofilm.