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Caulobacter crescentus pili: structure and stage-specific expression

C Lagenaur, N Agabian

    Journal of Bacteriology
    |July 1, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Pili in Caulobacter crescentus are expressed during specific cell cycle stages and are lost via retraction, not shedding. This pilus retraction is key to cell differentiation.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Cell Biology
    • Bacterial Pili Research

    Background:

    • Pili are surface appendages crucial for bacterial adhesion and motility.
    • Caulobacter crescentus undergoes a complex differentiation cycle involving distinct cell forms.
    • The precise role and regulation of pili during C. crescentus differentiation were not fully understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the expression and localization of pili during the Caulobacter crescentus cell cycle.
    • To characterize the biophysical and biochemical properties of C. crescentus pili.
    • To elucidate the mechanism of pilus loss during cell differentiation.

    Main Methods:

    • Immunofluorescence microscopy to visualize pili localization.
    • Pili purification from C. crescentus CB13B1a.

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  • Biochemical characterization of purified pilin (molecular weight, amino acid composition).
  • Analysis of pilin synthesis and secretion.

    • Main Results:

    • Pili are expressed at the swarmer pole during predivisional and swarmer stages, co-localizing with flagella and phage receptors.
    • Pili are lost upon differentiation into stalked cells.
    • Purified pilin has a molecular weight of 8,500 Da, with low basic amino acids and no methionine.
    • Pilin is synthesized throughout the cell cycle, but neither pili nor monomers are secreted.

    Conclusions:

    • Pilus expression is temporally regulated during the C. crescentus differentiation cycle.
    • The loss of pili during swarmer-to-stalked cell transition is mediated by pilus retraction, not shedding.
    • Understanding pilus dynamics provides insights into bacterial morphogenesis and cell cycle regulation.