title: Genes required for both gliding motility and development in Myxococcus xanthus.
abstract: Myxococcus xanthus cells can glide both as individual cells, dependent on Adventurous motility (A motility), and as groups of cells, dependent upon Social motility (S motility). Tn5-lac mutagenesis was used to generate 16 new A- and nine new S- mutations. In contrast with previous results, we find that subsets of A- mutants are defective in fruiting body morphogenesis and/or myxospore differentiation. All S- mutants are defective in fruiting body morphogenesis, consistent with previous results. Whereas some S- mutants produce a wild-type complement of spores, others are defective in the differentiation of myxospores. Therefore, a subset of the A genes and all of the S genes are critical for fruiting body morphogenesis. Subsets of both A and S genes are essential for sporulation. Three S::Tn5-lac insertions result in surprising phenotypes. Colonies of two S- mutants glide on 'swim' (0.35% agar) plates to form fractal patterns. These S- mutants are the first examples of a bacterium in which mutations result in fractal patterns of colonial spreading. An otherwise wild-type strain with one S- insertion resembles the frz- sglA1- mutants upon development, suggesting that this S- gene defines a new chemotaxis component in M. xanthus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1489.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: MacNeil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mouzeyan
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hartzell
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005838:Genotype; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007763:Lac Operon; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D010641:Phenotype; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001616:beta-Galactosidase