Conversion of Bacillus subtilis 168: Natto Producing Bacillus subtilis with Mosaic Genomes

Abstract

  Sequential replacement of sequences in the Bacillus subtilis 168 genome with DNA from Bacillus subtilis (natto) conferred the trait of the ability to ferment soybeans to B. subtilis 168 as its genome became mosaic. All mosaic strains retained competence, an intrinsic polygenic trait of the recipient B. subtilis 168.