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First identification of proteins involved in motility of Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Ivana Indikova1, Martin Vronka2, Michael P Szostak3

  • 1Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Bacteriology, Mycology and Hygiene, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210, Vienna, Austria. ivana.indikova@vetmeduni.ac.at.

Veterinary Research
|October 18, 2014
PubMed

Insights

The study identifies specific proteins, GapA, CrmA, and Mgc2, essential for the gliding motility of Mycoplasma gallisepticum, a significant poultry pathogen. This research clarifies the molecular mechanisms behind this unique bacterial movement.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Poultry Science
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

  • Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a major poultry pathogen.
  • Gliding motility in M. gallisepticum, observed since 1968, lacked identified protein involvement.
  • Understanding motility mechanisms is crucial for controlling M. gallisepticum infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify specific proteins responsible for the gliding motility of Mycoplasma gallisepticum.
  • To investigate the roles of cytadherence proteins GapA and CrmA in M. gallisepticum motility.
  • To discover novel genes involved in M. gallisepticum gliding.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of M. gallisepticum strains and clonal variants for motility.
  • Generation and screening of a transposon mutant library for motility-deficient mutants.
  • Complementation studies using mgc2-hexahistidine fusion gene.

Main Results:

  • The cytadherence proteins GapA and CrmA were found to be essential for M. gallisepticum gliding motility.
  • Loss of GapA or CrmA resulted in loss of motility, hemadsorption, and altered cell shape.
  • Mutants with insertions in mgc2, upstream of gapA, were also motility-deficient but retained hemadsorption.
  • Complementation with mgc2 restored motility in mgc2 mutants.

Conclusions:

  • GapA and CrmA are critical for M. gallisepticum gliding motility and cell morphology.
  • Mgc2 is also involved in M. gallisepticum motility, with a distinct role from GapA/CrmA regarding hemadsorption.
  • This study provides the first specific protein assignments for M. gallisepticum gliding motility.

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