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Genetic analysis of a type IV pili-like locus in the archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis

Divya B Nair1, Kaoru Uchida, Shin-Ichi Aizawa

  • 1Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.

Archives of Microbiology
|February 5, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Researchers investigated genes in Methanococcus maripaludis, finding most are essential for forming archaella and type IV pili. This archaeon

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Archaea research
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Methanococcus maripaludis is an anaerobic archaeon.
  • It possesses surface structures like archaella and type IV pili.
  • Previous studies identified three essential pilin genes (epdA, epdB, epdC) for piliation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of remaining genes in the 11-gene cluster for M. maripaludis piliation.
  • To identify novel genes involved in archaeal surface structure assembly.

Main Methods:

  • Reverse transcriptase PCR to analyze gene transcription.
  • Gene deletions to assess functional necessity.
  • Electron microscopy to visualize pili.
  • Plasmid-based complementation for functional rescue.

Main Results:

  • The 11 genes in the cluster form a single transcriptional unit.
  • All genes except mmp0235 and mmp0238 are essential for piliation.
  • Complementation restored partial piliation.
  • Genes for an assembly ATPase and pilin platform proteins were identified at a separate locus.

Conclusions:

  • Multiple genes within the identified cluster are crucial for M. maripaludis piliation.
  • Novel genes involved in pili assembly, including an ATPase, have been characterized.

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