Bacteria that Glide with Helical Tracks

Nan, Beiyan; McBride, Mark J.; Chen, Jing; Zusman, David R.; Oster, George

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.12.034

Cited by 84 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(56 reference statements)

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“…4 and 5). According to the helical rotor model (7,8,11), the distance between two adjacent traffic jam sites corresponds to the period of the helical track. In WT cells, AglR traveled 1.3 ± 0.4 μm along the cell length before reversing (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, cell polarity for gliding motility is enigmatic, because the gliding motor complexes, as represented by the MotA homolog AglR and motor-associated proteins, such as AgmU (GltD), localize in blurry patches that move simultaneously in opposite directions along a helical track (7,8,10,11).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first mechanism, social motility (S-motility), is powered by the extension and retraction of type IV pili from the leading cell poles (5,6). In contrast, the second mechanism, gliding motility (adventurous or A-motility), uses proton motive force to power the movement of motor complexes containing flagella stator homologs (7)(8)(9)(10)(11). Gliding M. xanthus cells on 1.5% agar plates typically reverse their polarity approximately every 8-12 min (12).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on the results of our high-resolution experiments, we proposed a revised model of bacterial gliding (the helical rotor model) that envisions the distance between two adjacent traffic jam sites as corresponding to the period of the helical track (11). According to this model, motors at these sites push against the…”

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confidence: 99%

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The polarity of myxobacterial gliding is regulated by direct interactions between the gliding motors and the Ras homolog MglA

Nan¹,

Bandaria

Guo³

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Gliding motility in Myxococcus xanthus is powered by flagella stator homologs that move in helical trajectories using proton motive force. The Frz chemosensory pathway regulates the cell polarity axis through MglA, a Ras family GTPase; however, little is known about how MglA establishes the polarity of gliding, because the gliding motors move simultaneously in opposite directions. Here we examined the localization and dynamics of MglA and gliding motors in high spatial and time resolution. We determined that MglA localizes not only at the cell poles, but also along the cell bodies, forming a decreasing concentration gradient toward the lagging cell pole. MglA directly interacts with the motor protein AglR, and the spatial distribution of AglR reversals is positively correlated with the MglA gradient. Thus, the motors moving toward lagging cell poles are less likely to reverse, generating stronger forward propulsion. MglB, the GTPase-activating protein of MglA, regulates motor reversal by maintaining the MglA gradient. Our results suggest a mechanism whereby bacteria use Ras family proteins to modulate cellular polarity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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The polarity of myxobacterial gliding is regulated by direct interactions between the gliding motors and the Ras homolog MglA

Nan¹,

Bandaria

Guo³

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…In Myxococcus xanthus, LPS O-antigen is required for development and social (S) gliding motility (17), i.e., the ability of cells to move as groups in a biofilm powered by type-4 pili extension and retraction (18). In contrast, individual cells can move by a separate system called "A-motility" (19). Although the function of LPS in S-motility is unknown, as a major constituent of the cell surface, it is likely to have a key role in how M. xanthus cells interact with each other and their environment.…”

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confidence: 99%

Cell rejuvenation and social behaviors promoted by LPS exchange in myxobacteria

Vassallo

Pathak

Cao

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Bacterial cells in their native environments must cope with factors that compromise the integrity of the cell. The mechanisms of coping with damage in a social or multicellular context are poorly understood. Here we investigated how a model social bacterium, Myxococcus xanthus, approaches this problem. We focused on the social behavior of outer membrane exchange (OME), in which cells transiently fuse and exchange their outer membrane (OM) contents. This behavior requires TraA, a homophilic cell surface receptor that identifies kin based on similarities in a polymorphic region, and the TraB cohort protein. As observed by electron microscopy, TraAB overexpression catalyzed a prefusion OM junction between cells. We then showed that damage sustained by the OM of one population was repaired by OME with a healthy population. Specifically, LPS mutants that were defective in motility and sporulation were rescued by OME with healthy donors. In addition, a mutant with a conditional lethal mutation in lpxC, an essential gene required for lipid A biosynthesis, was rescued by Tradependent interactions with a healthy population. Furthermore, lpxC cells with damaged OMs, which were more susceptible to antibiotics, had resistance conferred to them by OME with healthy donors. We also show that OME has beneficial fitness consequences to all cells. Here, in merged populations of damaged and healthy cells, OME catalyzed a dilution of OM damage, increasing developmental sporulation outcomes of the combined population by allowing it to reach a threshold density. We propose that OME is a mechanism that myxobacteria use to overcome cell damage and to transition to a multicellular organism.Myxococcus xanthus | outer membrane | lipopolysaccharide | lpxC | fusion A fundamental question in biology is how cells cope with damage. Microbes occupy diverse habitats fraught with physical, biological, and chemical insults (1, 2). UV radiation, desiccation, predation, extracellular enzymes, antimicrobial compounds, pH, temperature, and osmolarity changes are all stresses to the individual cell. In addition, when cells are in nutrient-poor environments, cell division can be rare, taking days to months to complete (3). In a slow-growing state, cell-surface components that may not be undergoing active repair can accumulate damage through natural aging processes such as oxidation (4, 5) and protein denaturation. Although internal cell stress response pathways are known (6), mechanisms to cope with cell surface damage are less well understood.Although cell damage threatens the fitness of the individual, social organisms have strength in numbers. The strategy of kin selection allows evolutionarily viable cooperation between individuals in a closely related population (7). Communication between individuals and sharing of resources establishes the potential for assistance between individual population members. Social support can be beneficial when the fitness of individuals in a group depends on collaborative behaviors such as prey hunting or the developm...

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The Whimsical History of Proposed Motors for Diatom Motility

Gordon

2021

Diatom Gliding Motility

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Bacteria that Glide with Helical Tracks

Cited by 84 publications

References 45 publications

The polarity of myxobacterial gliding is regulated by direct interactions between the gliding motors and the Ras homolog MglA

The polarity of myxobacterial gliding is regulated by direct interactions between the gliding motors and the Ras homolog MglA

Cell rejuvenation and social behaviors promoted by LPS exchange in myxobacteria

The Whimsical History of Proposed Motors for Diatom Motility

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