Linking <i>Bacillus cereus</i> Genotypes and Carbohydrate Utilization Capacity

<div><p>We characterised carbohydrate utilisation of 20 newly sequenced <i>Bacillus cereus</i> strains isolated from food products and food processing environments and two laboratory strains, <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> ATCC 10987 and <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> ATCC 14579. Subsequently, genome sequences of these strains were analysed together with 11 additional <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> reference genomes to provide an overview of the different types of carbohydrate transporters and utilization systems found in <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> strains. The combined application of API tests, defined growth media experiments and comparative genomics enabled us to link the carbohydrate utilisation capacity of 22 <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> strains with their genome content and in some cases to the <i>panC</i> phylogenetic grouping. A core set of carbohydrates including glucose, fructose, maltose, trehalose, N-acetyl-glucosamine, and ribose could be used by all strains, whereas utilisation of other carbohydrates like xylose, galactose, and lactose, and typical host-derived carbohydrates such as fucose, mannose, N-acetyl-galactosamine and inositol is limited to a subset of strains. Finally, the roles of selected carbohydrate transporters and utilisation systems in specific niches such as soil, foods and the human host are discussed.</p>