{
  "abstract": "Temperate Bacillus phages use arbitrium peptides to coordinate lysis-lysogeny decisions, but whether the mature communication peptide can be sensed directly by Bacillus subtilis and affect its physiology and behavior is unknown. Here we show that the {varphi}3T arbitrium peptide SAIRGA elicits a sequence- and stereochemistry-dependent response in Bacillus subtilis that is strongly expressed in surface-grown colony biofilms but is not accompanied by comparable changes in planktonic growth or static-liquid pellicle morphology. The response persists in the absence of AimR, the canonical arbitrium receptor. Within colonies, SAIRGA alters spatial PtapA activity and increases heat-resistant spore formation without increasing total viable cell yield. Untargeted metabolomics reveals broad dose-dependent remodeling that tracks peptide activity, while program-level proteomics independently converges on late-sporulation and mature-spore-associated states. This study highlights how a phage-derived peptide may act as a signal, enabling the host to pivot toward a survival-focused developmental state.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Ben-Gurion University of the Negev"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "B.-E. Hagbi-Lazar"
    },
    {
      "name": "Z. Levi"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Shema-Mizrachi"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Suissa"
    },
    {
      "name": "Z. Tik"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Uzi-Gavrilov"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Holoidovsky"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. O. Bendori"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Eldar"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "M. M. Meijler"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2pjedk4zr36y7.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.08.23.746533",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.23.746533v2.full",
  "id": "2pjedk4zr36y7",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.23.746533v2",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "microbiology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1311|Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204172095",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.23.746533v2.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-23",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2pjedk4zr36y7.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:15Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.08.23.746533",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.23.746533v2"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A phage communication peptide alters Bacillus subtilis colony development and promotes sporulation",
  "title_text": "A phage communication peptide alters Bacillus subtilis colony development and promotes sporulation",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:15Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2pjedk4zr36y7",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}