Name: monitoring intraspecies competition in a bacterial cell population by cocultivation of fluorescently labelled strains
Uploaded: 2014-01-18T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Monitoring Intraspecies Competition in a Bacterial Cell Population by Cocultivation of Fluorescently Labelled Strains at JoVE.com

Work in the authors&#39; lab was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (http://www.dfg.de; CO 1139/1-1), the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie (http://www.vci.de/fonds), and the G&#246;ttingen Centre for Molecular Biology (GZMB). The authors would like to acknowledge J&#246;rg St&#252;lke for helpful comments and critical reading of the manuscript.

1. Preparation of Agar Plates, Culture Media, Cryostocks, and Precultures
<ol>
	<li>Prepare growth media and required reagents (see table of materials and reagents).</li>
	<li>Streak the B. subtilis strains (e.g.&#160;BP40 (rocG+ gudBCR amyE::PgudB-yfp) and BP52 (rocG+ gudB+ amyE::PgudB-cfp) expressing one and two active GDHs, respectively)2 that will be used in the compet...

<ol>
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M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Selection-driven+accumulation+of+suppressor+mutants+in+Bacillus+subtilis:+the+apparent+high+mutation+frequency+of+the+cryptic+gudB+gene+and+the+rapid+clonal+expansion+of+gudB++suppressors+are+due+to+growth+under+selection.">Selection-driven accumulation of suppressor mutants in Bacillus subtilis: the apparent high mutation frequency of the cryptic gudB gene and the rapid clonal expansion of gudB+ suppressors are due to growth under selection.</a> PLoS One. 8, (2013).</li><li>Al Mamum, A. A. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Identity+and+function+of+a+large+gene+network+underlying+mutagenic+repair+of+DNA+breaks.">Identity and function of a large gene network underlying mutagenic repair of DNA breaks.</a> Science. 338, 1344-1348 (2012).</li><li>Koeppel, A. F., Wertheim, J. O., Barone, L., Gentile, N., Krizanc, D., Cohan, F. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Speedy+speciation+in+a+bacterial+microcosm:+new+species+can+arise+as+frequently+as+adaptations+within+a+species.">Speedy speciation in a bacterial microcosm: new species can arise as frequently as adaptations within a species.</a> ISME J. 7, 1080-1091 (2013).</li><li>Maughan, H., Nicholson, W. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Increased+fitness+and+alteration+of+metabolic+pathways+during+Bacillus+subtilis+evolution+in+the+laboratory.">Increased fitness and alteration of metabolic pathways during Bacillus subtilis evolution in the laboratory.</a> Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 77, 4105-4118 (2011).</li><li>Burkholder, P. R., Giles, N. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Induced+biochemical+mutations+in+Bacillus+subtilis.">Induced biochemical mutations in Bacillus subtilis.</a> Am. J. Bot. 34, 345-348 (1947).</li><li>McLoon, A. L., Guttenplan, S. B., Kearns, D. B., Kolter, R., Losick, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tracing+the+domestication+of+a+biofilm-forming+bacterium.">Tracing the domestication of a biofilm-forming bacterium.</a> J. Bacteriol. 193, 2027-2034 (2011).</li><li>Zeigler, D. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+origins+of+168,+W23,+and+other+Bacillus+subtilis+legacy+strains.">The origins of 168, W23, and other Bacillus subtilis legacy strains.</a> J. Bacteriol. 190, 6983-6995 (2008).</li><li>Gunka, K., Tholen, S., Gerwig, J., Herzberg, C., St&#252;lke, J., Commichau, F. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+high-frequency+mutation+in+Bacillus+subtilis:+requirements+for+the+decryptification+of+the+gudB+glutamate+dehydrogenase.">A high-frequency mutation in Bacillus subtilis: requirements for the decryptification of the gudB glutamate dehydrogenase.</a> 194, 1036-1044 (2012).</li><li>Commichau, F. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Characterization+of+Bacillus+subtilis+mutants+with+carbon+source-independent+glutamate+biosynthesis.">Characterization of Bacillus subtilis mutants with carbon source-independent glutamate biosynthesis.</a> J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 12, 106-113 (2007).</li><li>Beckwith, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Genetic+suppressors+and+recovery+of+repressed+biochemical+memory.">Genetic suppressors and recovery of repressed biochemical memory.</a> J. Biol. Chem. 284, 12585-12592 (2009).</li><li>Gunka, K., Commichau, F. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Control+of+glutamate+homeostasis+in+Bacillus+subtilis:+a+complex+interplay+between+ammonium+assimilation,+glutamate+biosynthesis+and+degradation.">Control of glutamate homeostasis in Bacillus subtilis: a complex interplay between ammonium assimilation, glutamate biosynthesis and degradation.</a> Mol. Microbiol. 85, 213-224 (2012).</li><li>Yan, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Protection+of+the+glutamate+pool+concentrations+in+enteric+bacteria.">Protection of the glutamate pool concentrations in enteric bacteria.</a> Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 9475-9480 (2007).</li><li>Belitsky, B. R., Sonenshein, A. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+and+regulation+of+Bacillus+subtilis+glutamate+dehydrogenase+genes.">Role and regulation of Bacillus subtilis glutamate dehydrogenase genes.</a> J. Bacteriol. 180, 6298-6305 (1998).</li><li>Commichau, F. M., Herzberg, C., Tripal, P., Valerius, O., St&#252;lke, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+regulatory+protein-protein+interaction+governs+glutamate+biosynthesis+in+Bacillus+subtilis:+the+glutamate+dehydrogenase+RocG+moonlights+in+controlling+the+transcription+factor+GltC.">A regulatory protein-protein interaction governs glutamate biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis: the glutamate dehydrogenase RocG moonlights in controlling the transcription factor GltC.</a> Mol. Microbiol. 65, 642-654 (2007).</li><li>Gordo, I., Perfeito, L., Sousa, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fitness+effects+of+mutations+in+bacteria.">Fitness effects of mutations in bacteria.</a> J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 21, 20-35 (2011).</li><li>Rabatinov&#225;, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+&#948;+subunit+of+RNA+polymerase+is+required+for+rapid+changes+in+gene+expression+and+competitive+fitness+of+the+cell.">The &#948; subunit of RNA polymerase is required for rapid changes in gene expression and competitive fitness of the cell.</a> J. Bacteriol. 195, 2603-2611 (2013).</li><li>Capra, E. J., Perchuk, B. S., Skerker, J. M., Laub, M. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Adaptive+mutations+that+prevent+crosstalk+enable+the+expansion+of+paralogous+signalling+protein+families.">Adaptive mutations that prevent crosstalk enable the expansion of paralogous signalling protein families.</a> Cell. 150, 222-232 (2012).</li><li>Garc&#237;a-Betancur, J. C., Yepes, A., Schneider, J., Lopez, D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Single-cell+analysis+of+Bacillus+subtilis+biofilms+using+fluorescence+microscopy+and+flow+cytometry.">Single-cell analysis of Bacillus subtilis biofilms using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (15), (2012).</li></ol>

Several methods have been developed to analyze competitive fitness of bacteria16. In many cases the bacteria were labeled with different antibiotic resistance cassettes17. Similar to our approach, labeling of the cells with antibiotic resistance cassettes allows the evaluation of competitive fitness of the bacteria during cocultivation under defined growth conditions. Moreover, this method can be used to determine competitive fitness of cells that differ from each other in a specific locus on the ch...

Soil bacteria are usually endowed with flexible regulatory networks and broad metabolic capacities. Both features enable the cells to adjust their catabolic and anabolic pathways to compete with their fellows and other microorganisms for the nutrients, which are available in a given ecological niche1. However, if the bacteria are unable to adapt to their environment other mechanisms may account for survival of a species. Indeed, as many bacteria proliferate fast and the populations can reach high cell densities subpopulations may have spontaneously accumulated beneficial mutations that provide the cells with a selective growth advantage and therefore increase their fitness. Moreover, mutational hotspots and stress-induced adaptive mutagenesis can facilitate the evolution of a maladapted bacterium2,3. Thus, accumulation of mutations and growth under continuous selection is the origin for the enormous microbial diversity, even within the same genus4,5. As in nature, shaping of bacterial genomes does also occur in the laboratory due to continuous cultivation under selection. This is exemplified by the domestication of the Gram-positive bacterium B. subtilis, which is used worldwide in basic research and in industry. In the 1940s B. subtilis was treated with DNA-damaging X-rays followed by cultivation under a specific growth condition6. The mutations that have accumulated in the bacteria during their domestication account for the loss of many growth characteristics, i.e.&#160;the B. subtilis laboratory strain 168 lost the ability to form complex colonies7,8.
Nowadays, for the best-studied model bacteria Escherichia coli and B. subtilis, a variety of powerful tools is available to genetically manipulate their genomes in order to address specific scientific questions. Sometimes the inactivation of a gene of interest causes a severe growth defect, which is then clearly visible on standard growth medium9. By contrast, mutations that cause a weak growth defect and thus only slightly affect fitness of the strain are often ignored. However, in both cases prolonged incubation and passaging of the mutant strains for several generations usually result in the accumulation of suppressor mutants that have restored the phenotype of the parent strain2,9. The characterization of suppressor mutants and the identification of the mutations that have restored the growth defect of the parent mutant strain is a very helpful approach that allows elucidation of important and often novel cellular processes10,11.
We are interested in the control of glutamate homeostasis in B. subtilis12. Similar to E. coli, B. subtilis responds to perturbation of glutamate homeostasis (i.e.&#160;block in glutamate degradation2) by the accumulation of suppressor mutants. The genomic alterations in these suppressor mutants that were acquired by spontaneous mutation were shown to rapidly restore glutamate homeostasis9,13. Therefore, it is not surprising that adaptation of B. subtilis to a specific growth condition during domestication of the bacterium is mirrored in enzyme synthesis and in the evolved enzymatic activities, which are involved in glutamate metabolism12. It has been suggested that the lack of exogenous glutamate in the growth medium during the domestication process was the driving force for the emergence and fixation of the cryptic glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) gudBCR gene in the laboratory strain 1682,14. This hypothesis is supported by our observation that the reduced amount of GDH activity in the laboratory strain provides the bacteria with a selective growth advantage when exogenous glutamate is scarce2. Moreover, cultivation of a B. subtilis strain, synthesizing the GDH GudB, in the absence of exogenous glutamate results in the accumulation of suppressor mutants that have inactivated the gudB gene2. Obviously, the presence of a catabolically active GDH is disadvantageous for the cell because endogenously produced glutamate that could otherwise be used for anabolism is degraded to ammonium and 2-oxoglutarate (Figure 1). By contrast, when glutamate is provided by the medium, a B. subtilis strain equipped with high-level GDH activity has a selective growth advantage over a strain that synthesizes only one functional GDH. It is reasonable to assume that high-level GDH activity allows the bacteria to utilize glutamate as a second carbon source in addition to other carbon sources provided by the medium2 (see Figure 1). Thus, GDH activity strongly affects fitness of bacteria, depending on the availability of exogenous glutamate.
Here we present a very illustrative method to monitor and to visualize intraspecies competition between two B. subtilis strains that differ in a single locus on the chromosome (Figure 2). The two strains were labeled with the yfp and cfp genes encoding the fluorophores YFP and CFP, and cocultivated under different nutritional conditions. By sampling over time and by plating appropriate dilutions on agar plates the survivors in each of the cultures could be easily monitored using a common stereo fluorescence microscope. The procedure described in this paper is easy to perform and suitable to visualize the rapid clonal expansion and elimination of beneficial and detrimental mutations, respectively, in a cell population over time.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="814">
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	<tbody>
		<tr height="26">
			<td height="26" style="height:26px;width:363px;">(NH4)2SO4&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">3746</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Agar</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Difco, USA</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">214010</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="61" rowspan="2" style="height:61px;width:363px;">Ammonium ferric citrate (CAF)</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Sigma-Aldrich, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">9714</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="26">
			<td height="26" style="height:26px;width:363px;">CaCl2&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">5239</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Glucose</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Applichem, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">A3617</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Glycerol</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">4043</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="26">
			<td height="26" style="height:26px;width:363px;">K2HPO4 x 3 H2O</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">6878</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">KCl</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Applichem, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">A3582</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="26">
			<td height="26" style="height:26px;width:363px;">KH2PO4</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">3904</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">KOH</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">6751</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="26">
			<td height="26" style="height:26px;width:363px;">MgSO4 x 7 H2O&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">P027</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="26">
			<td height="26" style="height:26px;width:363px;">MnCl2&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">T881</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="61" rowspan="2" style="height:61px;width:363px;">MnSO4 x 4 H2O</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Merck Millipore, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">102786</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">NaCl</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">9265</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Nutrient broth</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">X929</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Potassium glutamate</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Applichem, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">A3712</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Tryptone</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">8952</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Tryptophan</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Applichem, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">A3445</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Yeast extract</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Roth, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">2363</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">1.5 ml Reaction tubes</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Sarstedt, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">72,690,001</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">2.0 ml Reaction tubes</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Sarstedt, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">72,691</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">15 ml Plastic tubes with screw cap</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Sarstedt, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">62,554,001</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Petri dishes</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Sarstedt, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">82.1473</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">1.5 ml Polystyrene cuvettes</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Sarstedt, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">67,742</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:363px;">15 ml Glass culture tubes&#160;</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Brand, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">7790 22</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">with aluminium caps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">100 ml Shake flasks with aluminium caps</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Brand, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">928 24</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Sterile 10 ml glass pipettes</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Brand, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">278 23</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Incubator (28 and 37 &#176;C)</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">New Brunswick</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">M1282-0012</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="85" rowspan="3" style="height:85px;width:363px;">Standard pipette set (2-20 &#956;l, 10-100 &#956;l, 100-1000 &#956;l)</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:175px;">Eppendorf, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">4910&#160;000.034, 4910 000.042,&#160;&#160;</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:111px;">4910 000.042,</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:111px;">4910 000.069&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="80">
			<td height="101" rowspan="2" style="height:101px;width:363px;">Table top centrifuge for 1.5 and 2 ml reaction tubes</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Thermo Scientific, Heraeus Fresco 21, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">75002425</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="60">
			<td height="81" rowspan="2" style="height:81px;width:363px;">Table top centrifuge for 15 ml plastic tubes</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Heraeus Biofuge Primo R, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">75005440</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="80">
			<td height="101" rowspan="2" style="height:101px;width:363px;">Standard spectrophotometer</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Amersham Biosciences Ultrospec 2100 pro, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">80-2112-21&#160;</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:363px;">Stereofluorescence microscope&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Zeiss SteREO Lumar V12, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">495008-0009-000</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Freezer (-20 and -80 &#176;C)</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Fridge (4 &#176;C)</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:363px;">Autoclave</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Zirbus, LTA 2x3x4, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:363px;">pH meter</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">pH-meter 766, Calimatic, Knick, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">766</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="61" rowspan="2" style="height:61px;width:363px;">Vortex</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:175px;">Vortex&#160; 3, IKA, Germany</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:111px;">3340000</td>
			<td rowspan="2" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="64" rowspan="3" style="height:64px;width:363px;">Balance</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:175px;">CP2202S, Sartorius, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">replaced by</td>
			<td rowspan="3" style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:111px;">CPA2202S</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:111px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Black pen (permanent marker)</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Staedler, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">317-9</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Powerpoint program</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Microsoft, USA</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:363px;">Office Excel program</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Microsoft, USA</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Program for data processing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;width:363px;">Adobe Photoshop CS5</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Adobe, USA</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">replaced by CS6, download</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Computer program for image processing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:363px;">Computer</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">PC or Mac</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">-</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">-</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="43">
			<td height="43" style="height:43px;">ZEN pro 2011 software for the stereofluorescence microscope</td>
			<td style="width:175px;">Zeiss, Germany</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">410135 1002 110</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">AxioCam MRc Rev. Obtained through Zeiss</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:22px;width:815px;">Specific solution recipes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">SP medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">8 g Nutrient broth</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">0.25 mg MgSO4 x 7 H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">1 g KCl</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">if required, add 15 g agar for solid SP medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">1 ml CaCl2 (0.5 M), sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">1 ml MnCl2 (10 mM) sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:22px;width:815px;">2 ml ammonium ferric citrate (CAF, 2.2 mg/ml), sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">LB medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 g Tryptone</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">5 g Yeast extract</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 g NaCl</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">if required, add 15 g agar for solid LB medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">C-Glc minimal medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">200 ml 5 x C salts</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 ml L-Tryptophan (5 mg/ml), sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 ml ammonium ferric citrate (CAF, 2.2 mg/ml), sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 ml III&#8217; salts</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">25 ml Glucose (20%), autoclaved for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with sterile H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">CE-Glc minimal medium</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">200 ml 5 x C salts</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 ml L-Tryptophan (5 mg/ml), sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 ml ammonium ferric citrate (CAF, 2.2 mg/ml), sterilized by filtration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">10 ml III&#8217; salts</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">20 ml Glutamate (40%)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">25 ml Glucose (20%), autoclaved for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with sterile H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">5 x C salts&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">20 g KH2PO4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">80 g K2HPO4 x 3 H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">16.5 g (NH4)2SO4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with sterile H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">III&#8217; salts</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">0.232 g MnSO4 x 4 H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">12.3 g MgSO4 x 7 H2O</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with sterile H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">40% Glutamate solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">200 g L-Glutamic acid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">adjust the pH to 7.0 by adding approximately 80 g KOH</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 0.5 l with sterile H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">0.9% Saline (NaCl) solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 1 l with sterile H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">50% Glycerol solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td colspan="4" height="20" style="height:20px;width:815px;">295 ml Glycerol (87%)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:23px;width:815px;">ad 0.5 l with sterile H2O, autoclave for 20 min at 121 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td colspan="4" height="22" style="height:22px;width:815px;">Bacteria (All strains are based on the Bacillus subtilis strain 168)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td colspan="3" height="21" style="height:21px;width:648px;">Bacillus subtilis BP40 (rocG+ gudBCR amyE::PgudB-yfp)&#160;</td>
			<td rowspan="4" style="width:167px;">Laboratory strain collection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td colspan="3" height="21" style="height:21px;width:648px;">Bacillus subtilis BP41 (rocG+ gudBCR amyE::PgudB-cfp)&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td colspan="3" height="21" style="height:21px;width:648px;">Bacillus subtilis BP52 (rocG+ gudB+ amyE::PgudB-cfp)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td colspan="3" height="21" style="height:21px;width:648px;">Bacillus subtilis BP156 (rocG+ gudB+ amyE::PgudB-yfp)</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

monitoring intraspecies competition in a bacterial cell population by cocultivation of fluorescently labelled strains

Many microorganisms such as bacteria proliferate extremely fast and the populations may reach high cell densities. Small fractions of cells in a population always have accumulated mutations that are either detrimental or beneficial for the cell. If the fitness effect of a mutation provides the subpopulation with a strong selective growth advantage, the individuals of this subpopulation may rapidly outcompete and even completely eliminate their immediate fellows. Thus, small genetic changes and selection-driven accumulation of cells that have acquired beneficial mutations may lead to a complete shift of the genotype of a cell population. Here we present a procedure to monitor the rapid clonal expansion and elimination of beneficial and detrimental mutations, respectively, in a bacterial cell population over time by cocultivation of fluorescently labeled individuals of the Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis. The method is easy to perform and very illustrative to display intraspecies competition among the individuals in a bacterial cell population.

The method described here was successfully applied to visualize intraspecies competition in a cell population consisting of B. subtilis strains that were labeled with the cfp and yfp genes encoding the fluorophores CFP and YFP, respectively. As shown in Figure 3, the method can be used to visualize intraspecies competition in a very illustrative manner. By spotting the samples on small areas, the clonal composition of the cell population was made visible at a glance. Although n...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Monitoring Intraspecies Competition in a Bacterial Cell Population by Cocultivation of Fluorescently Labelled Strains at JoVE.com

Monitoring Intraspecies Competition in a Bacterial Cell Population by Cocultivation of Fluorescently Labelled Strains

Bacteria may accumulate either detrimental or beneficial mutations during their lifetime. In a population of cells individuals that have accumulated beneficial mutations may rapidly outcompete their fellows. Here we present a simple procedure to visualize intraspecies competition in a bacterial cell population over time using fluorescently labeled individuals.&#160;

Many microorganisms such as bacteria proliferate extremely fast and the populations may reach high cell densities. Small fractions of cells in a ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Title Cell Encapsulation by Droplets

Derivation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Immunosurgery

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Monitoring Dynamic Changes In Mitochondrial Calcium Levels During Apoptosis Using A Genetically Encoded Calcium Sensor

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Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c

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Monitoring Kinase and Phosphatase Activities Through the Cell Cycle by Ratiometric FRET

F&ouml;rster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based reporters1 allow the assessment of endogenous kinase and phosphatase activities in living cells. Such ...

Determination of Lipid Raft Partitioning of Fluorescently-tagged Probes in Living Cells by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS)

Determination of Lipid Raft Partitioning of Fluorescently-tagged Probes in Living Cells by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy FCS

In the past fifteen years the notion that cell membranes are not homogenous and rely on microdomains to exert their functions has become widely accepted. ...

Long-term Lethal Toxicity Test with the Crustacean Artemia franciscana

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Profiling Individual Human Embryonic Stem Cells by Quantitative RT-PCR

Heterogeneity of stem cell population hampers detailed understanding of stem cell biology, such as their differentiation propensity toward different ...

Fecal Glucocorticoid Analysis: Non-invasive Adrenal Monitoring in Equids

Adrenal activity can be assessed in the equine species by analysis of feces for corticosterone metabolites. During a potentially aversive situation, ...

Using Digital Image Correlation to Characterize Local Strains on Vascular Tissue Specimens

Characterization of the mechanical behavior of biological and engineered soft tissues is a central component of fundamental biomedical research and ...