This goal of this project is to sequence the complete genome of Bacillus megaterium, a bacterium that has a number of unique properties that are of both economic and scientific interest. Its cells are approximately 100 times larger in cell volume than most other bacteria. This increase allows for the examination of cellular localization of certain proteins and protein complexes. A genetic system has been developed and many genetic tools are now available. B. megaterium's ability to synthesize and secrete products without degradation also allows for the large-scale production of beneficial compounds including vitamin B12, antiviral compounds such as oxetanocin, which is active against HIV, and penicillin amidase, used to construct synthetic penicillins. In addition to producing these beneficial compounds, B. megaterium also contains a number of plasmids. These small extrachromosomal pieces of DNA are thought to contain genes responsible for the organism's ability to grow in environmentally contaminated sites as well as aiding in the remediation of these sites. The genetic factors responsible for increased cell size, the process of cell division in this larger bacterium, and the identification of gene products potentially responsible for the remediation of environmentally contaminated sites will be studied through examination of the genome sequence data.
B. megaterium is an ancestral relative to other Bacillus species, including the bioweapon pathogen B. anthracis as well as the model bacterial species B. subtilis,. The genome sequencing and comparative genomics of this bacterium may provide additional insights into the development of treatments and therapies for pathogens as well as elucidate basic processes that have been studied in Gram positive bacilli such as sporulation and germination. The project will also include an undergraduate summer workshop, a conference for high school and college general science educators and development of a website to inform the public about the interesting biology of B. megaterium, a charismatic microorganism.
