title: Coats from Myxococcus xanthus: characterization and synthesis during myxospore differentiation.
abstract: An extracellular coat from glycerol-induced myxospores of Myxococcus xanthus has been isolated and characterized. Coats were examined chemically and by using both transmission and scanning electron microscopy. On a dry weight basis, approximately 75% of the coat is polysaccharide composed entirely of galactosamine and glucose. The remainder of the coat is protein (14%), glycine (8%), and organic phosphorus (less than 1%). Coats remained morphologically intact despite boiling in 10 M urea, sodium lauryl sulfate plus beta-mercaptoethanol, or extraction with warm phenol. Coats also resisted digestion with a variety of proteolytic and polysaccharide degrading enzymes. Synthesis of myxospore coat begins approximately 1 h after the addition of glycerol to a culture. One portion of the coat is complete by 5 to 6 h but additional material consisting primarily of glucose is added after 8 h.
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000032:analysis; D005947:Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D005998:Glycine / Q000032:analysis; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009231:Myxococcales / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D010758:Phosphorus; D005688:Galactosamine; D005947:Glucose; D005990:Glycerol; D005998:Glycine