Bacillus subtilis is one of the best-studied organisms. Due to the broad knowledge and annotation and the well-developed genetic system, this bacterium is an excellent starting point for genome minimization with the aim of constructing a minimal cell. We have analyzed the genome of B. subtilis and selected all genes that are required to allow life in complex medium at 37°C. This selection is based on the known information on essential genes and functions as well as on gene and protein expression data and gene conservation. The list presented here includes 523 and 119 genes coding for proteins and RNAs, respectively. These proteins and RNAs are required for the basic functions of life in information processing (replication and chromosome maintenance, transcription, translation, protein folding, and secretion), metabolism, cell division, and the integrity of the minimal cell. The completeness of the selected metabolic pathways, reactions, and enzymes was verified by the development of a model of metabolism of the minimal cell. A comparison of the MiniBacillus genome to the recently reported designed minimal genome of Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn3.0 indicates excellent agreement in the information-processing pathways, whereas each species has a metabolism that reflects specific evolution and adaptation. The blueprint of MiniBacillus presented here serves as the starting point for a successive reduction of the B. subtilis genome.

中文翻译：

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最小细胞的蓝图：迷你芽孢杆菌。

枯草芽孢杆菌是研究最多的生物之一。由于广泛的知识和注释以及完善的遗传系统，该细菌是最小化基因组以构建最小细胞为目标的极佳起点。我们已经分析了枯草芽孢杆菌的基因组，并选择了允许在37°C复杂培养基中生活的所有基因。该选择基于关于必需基因和功能以及基因和蛋白质表达数据以及基因保守性的已知信息。此处列出的列表分别包括523和119个编码蛋白质和RNA的基因。这些蛋白质和RNA是信息处理（复制和染色体维持，转录，翻译，蛋白质折叠和分泌），代谢，细胞分裂，以及最小单元格的完整性。所选代谢途径，反应和酶的完整性通过最小细胞代谢模型的开发得到验证。MiniBacillus基因组与最近报道的设计的支原体支原体JCVI-syn3.0的最小基因组的比较表明，在信息处理途径中有极好的一致性，而每个物种的代谢都反映了特定的进化和适应性。此处介绍的MiniBacillus蓝图可作为连续减少枯草芽孢杆菌基因组的起点。MiniBacillus基因组与最近报道的设计的支原体支原体JCVI-syn3.0的最小基因组的比较表明，在信息处理途径中有极好的一致性，而每个物种的代谢都反映了特定的进化和适应性。此处介绍的MiniBacillus蓝图可作为连续减少枯草芽孢杆菌基因组的起点。MiniBacillus基因组与最近报道的设计的支原体支原体JCVI-syn3.0的最小基因组的比较表明，在信息处理途径中有极好的一致性，而每个物种的代谢都反映了特定的进化和适应性。此处介绍的MiniBacillus蓝图可作为连续减少枯草芽孢杆菌基因组的起点。