Transcriptional responses of Bacillus subtillis and thuringiensis to antibiotics and anti-tumour drugs

DNA supercoiling is a major regulator of transcription in all organisms. This process is regulated by type I and type II DNA topoisomerases that are targets for microbial antibiotics and/or anti-tumour drugs. Despite extensive studies in this field, no information is available on the response of Bacillus (B) species to eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase inhibitors. Here we found that B. thuringiensis BMG1.7 and HD9 strains are sensitive to DNA gyrase inhibitors (e.g. ciprofloxacin, novobiocin) and to etoposide VP16, a specific inhibitor of eukaryotic type II DNA topoisomerase. Inhibitory or sub-inhibitory concentrations of VP16 induced a drug-tolerant response: an immediate inhibition of growth, followed by a prolonged (10-12 h) lag in growth, and then resumption of normal growth subsequent to overnight culture. Inhibition of the DNA gyrase ATPase activity in B. subtillis 168 by novobiocin activated 80 genes and repressed 89 genes at 20 min after drug addition (P