Biofilm formation under high temperature causes the commensal bacteria Bacillus cereus WPySW2 to shift from friend to foe in Neoporphyra haitanensis in vitro model

Although biofilm formation may promote growth, biofilms are not always beneficial to their hosts. The biofilm formation characteristics of Bacillus cereus WPySW2 and its changes at different temperatures were studied. Results show that B. cereus WPySW2 promoted the growth of Neoporphyra haitanensis (an economically cultivated seaweed) at 20 °C but accelerated algal rot at 28 °C. Thicker B. cereus WPySW2 biofilms covered the surface of N. haitanensis thalli at 28 °C, which hindered material exchange between the algae and surrounding environment, inhibited algal photosynthesis and respiration, and accelerated algal decay. Compared with planktonic bacteria, mature biofilm cells had lower energy consumption and metabolic levels. The biofilm metabolic characteristics of B. cereus WPySW2 changed significantly with temperature. High temperature accelerated biofilm maturation, which made it thicker and more stable, allowing the bacteria to easily adapt to environmental changes and obtain greater benefits from their host. High temperature did not affect the production or increased the abundance of toxic metabolites, indicating that the negative effects of B. cereus WPySW2 on algae were not caused by toxins. This study shows that increased temperature can transform a harmless bacterium into a detrimental one, demonstrating that temperature may change the ecological function of phycospheric bacteria by affecting their morphology and metabolism.