Inorganic polyphosphate is required for motility of bacterial pathogens

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Preparation, Imaging, and Quantification of Bacterial Surface Motility Assays
07:35

Preparation, Imaging, and Quantification of Bacterial Surface Motility Assays

Published on: April 7, 2015

M H Rashid1, N N Rao, A Kornberg

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.

Journal of Bacteriology
|December 30, 1999
PubMed

Insights

The polyphosphate kinase (PPK) enzyme is crucial for bacterial motility and pathogenesis. Impaired PPK function significantly hinders bacterial movement, suggesting its essential role in disease development.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The ppk gene encodes polyphosphate kinase (PPK), a key enzyme in inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) synthesis from ATP in bacteria.
  • Bacterial motility is vital for pathogen invasion and establishing infections within host cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the ppk gene and its encoded enzyme, polyphosphate kinase (PPK), in bacterial pathogenesis.
  • To determine the impact of PPK on bacterial motility.

Main Methods:

  • Generating a null mutation in the ppk gene of six bacterial pathogens.
  • Assessing bacterial motility on semisolid agar plates.
  • Complemented the null mutation by introducing the ppk gene in trans.

Main Results:

  • A null mutation in the ppk gene significantly impaired the motility of six bacterial pathogens on semisolid agar.
  • The motility defect was fully restored upon reintroduction of the functional ppk gene.
  • This indicates a direct link between PPK function and bacterial motility.

Conclusions:

  • Polyphosphate kinase (PPK) plays a critical role in bacterial motility.
  • The observed impairment in motility suggests that PPK and its product, polyphosphate (polyP), are essential for bacterial pathogenesis.
  • Targeting PPK could be a potential strategy to combat bacterial infections.

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