Genome-based insights into the thermotolerant adaptations of Neobacillus endophyticus BRMEA1T

Abstract

The bacterium Neobacillus endophyticus BRMEA1T, isolated from the medicinal plant Selaginella involvens, known as its thermotolerant can grow at 50°C. To explore the genetic basis for its heat tolerance response and its potential for producing valuable natural compounds, the genomes of two thermotolerant and four mesophilic strains in the genus Neobacillus were analyzed using a bioinformatic software platform. The whole genome was annotated using RAST SEED and OrthVenn2, with a focus on identifying potential heat-tolerance-related genes. N. endophyticus BRMEA1T was found to possess more stress response genes compared to other mesophilic members of the genus, and it was the only strain that had genes for the synthesis of osmoregulated periplasmic glucans. This study sheds light on the potential value of N. endophyticus BRMEA1T, as it reveals the mechanism of heat resistance and the application of secondary metabolites produced by this bacterium through whole-genome sequencing and comparative analysis.