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Conditional requirement of SglT for type IV pili function and S-motility in Myxococcus xanthus

Vera Troselj1,2, Darshankumar T Pathak3,2, Daniel Wall2

  • 1Present address: The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, CA 94720, Berkeley, USA.

Microbiology (Reading, England)
|February 11, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified a new gene, sglT, crucial for social (S) motility in Myxococcus xanthus. This gene is essential for type 4 pilus (Tfp) function, specifically pilus retraction, impacting bacterial social behaviors.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Social Behavior
  • Cellular Motility

Background:

  • Myxobacteria display complex social behaviors like predation and fruiting body formation.
  • These behaviors rely on coordinated cell movements via social (S) motility.
  • S-motility is driven by type 4 pilus (Tfp) extension-retraction and exopolysaccharides (EPS).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a novel class of S-motility mutants in Myxococcus xanthus.
  • To investigate the genetic basis and functional role of the identified mutation in S-motility.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of temperature-sensitive S-motility mutants.
  • Genetic mapping of point mutations to the MXAN_3284 locus, named sglT.
  • Analysis of pilus production and exopolysaccharide presence in mutants.

Main Results:

  • A new locus, sglT, was identified, mutations of which abolish S-motility.
  • sglT mutants exhibit hyperpiliation, similar to pilT mutants.
  • The temperature-sensitive phenotype is linked to null mutations in sglT, indicating a critical role in Tfp function at higher temperatures.

Conclusions:

  • SglT is essential for type 4 pilus (Tfp) function, particularly pilus retraction.
  • Absence of SglT leads to a Tfp assembly defect at high temperatures, blocking retraction.
  • This defect in Tfp retraction significantly impairs Myxococcus xanthus social motility.
Keywords:
Myxococcus xanthusexopolysaccharidessocial motilitytype IV pili

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