PMC

Net chart of sensory properties in natto fermented by two-strain (NMBB) and single-strain fermentation with GUTU09 (NMB).

Microbial growth of planktonic B. subtilis NCIB 3610, natto and B-1 bacteria at 37 ​°C. Growth in LB (a) and MSgg (b) media is quantified by determining the optical density (OD₆₀₀). Error bars indicate the standard deviation as obtained from 3 biological replicates.

Strain identification in the center of co-cultured B. subtilis biofilm colonies as assessed by fluorescence microscopy. The coexistence ratio of fluorescent NCIB 3610 bacteria and another, non-fluorescent strain (either natto or B-1) is shown for different sub-groups (see main text) of co-cultured biofilm colonies grown on LB (a) and MSgg (b) agar. Error bars represent the standard deviation as obtained from at least 5 different colonies.

Sliding and swarming ability of mutant B. subtilis strains. (A) The cartoon highlights the B. subtilis genes with possible novel roles in sliding motility as suggested by the microarray experiments performed (see text for details). (B) Sliding properties of B. subtilis natto strain derivatives; from top to bottom, wild-type, tasA, epsG, and bslA strains. (C) Swarming of B. subtilis NCIB3610 and its derivatives comparable to those in panel B. (D) Sliding of B. subtilis NCIB3610 hag strain and double mutant hag tasA, hag epsG, and hag bslA strains. (E) Transcomplementation of sliding-deficient strains. Neither bslA nor eps mutant cells are able to slide separately, but when they are poured together, sliding proficiency is restored.