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Size Exclusion Chromatography to Analyze Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicle Heterogeneity
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The lethal cargo of Myxococcus xanthus outer membrane vesicles

James E Berleman1, Simon Allen2, Megan A Danielewicz3

  • 1Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA, USA ; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA, USA ; School of Biology, St. Mary's College Moraga, CA, USA.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|September 25, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Myxococcus xanthus outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) deliver enzymes and antibiotics for microbial predation. The study identified OMV-specific proteins and molecules, revealing MepA protease

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Predation
  • Extracellular Vesicles

Background:

  • Myxococcus xanthus is a predatory bacterium using a 'wolf pack' strategy.
  • Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are abundant in M. xanthus and form extracellular structures.
  • OMVs are hypothesized to deliver enzymes and antibiotics for prey capture.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize and compare the protein and small molecule cargo of M. xanthus OMVs and membrane fractions.
  • To identify OMV-specific or enriched proteins and small molecules.
  • To investigate the role of identified hydrolytic enzymes in M. xanthus extracellular activity.

Main Methods:

  • Proteomic analysis of OMVs and membrane fractions.
  • Small molecule profiling of OMVs.
  • Genetic disruption of candidate genes (e.g., mepA) and assessment of extracellular protease activity.

Main Results:

  • Identification of OMV-specific/enriched proteins, including putative hydrolytic enzymes.
  • Detection of 16 small molecules in OMVs, many with antibiotic properties.
  • Disruption of MXAN_3564 (mepA) significantly reduced extracellular protease activity, implicating MepA in this function.

Conclusions:

  • M. xanthus OMVs carry a cargo of hydrolytic enzymes and antibiotics potentially mediating predatory behavior.
  • MepA is identified as a key component of the M. xanthus extracellular protease system.
  • OMVs play a crucial role in the ecological interactions and predatory strategies of M. xanthus.
Keywords:
fruiting bodypredationpredator-prey interactionspredatory ripplingsecondary metabolism and enzymes

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