title: The Myxococcus xanthus wbgB gene encodes a glycosyltransferase homologue required for lipopolysaccharide O-antigen biosynthesis.
abstract: Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative soil bacterium that initiates a complex developmental program in response to starvation. A transposon insertion (Tn5-lac omega109) mutant with developmental deficiencies was isolated and characterized in this study. A strain containing this insertion mutation in an otherwise wild-type background showed delayed developmental aggregation for about 12 h and sporulated at 1-2% of the wild-type level. Tn5-lac omega109 was found to have disrupted the M. xanthus wbgB gene, which is located 2.1 kb downstream of the M. xanthus lipopolysacharide (LPS) O-antigen biosynthesis genes wzm wzt wbgA. The deduced polypeptide sequence of WbgB shares significant similarity with bacterial glycosyltransferases including M. xanthus WbgA. The wbgB::Tn5-lac omega109 mutant was found to be defective in LPS O-antigen synthesis by immunochemical analysis. Further mutational analysis indicated that the defects of the wbgB::Tn5-lac omega109 mutant were not the result of polar effects on downstream genes. Various motility assays demonstrated that the Tn5-lac omega109 mutation affected both social (S) and adventurous (A) gliding motility of M. xanthus cells. The pleiotrophic effects of wbgB mutations indicate the importance of LPS O-antigen biosynthesis for various cellular functions in M. xanthus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA. yangzha@auburn.edu
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D020043:Genes, Essential; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009068:Movement; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D019081:O Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010641:Phenotype; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D019081:O Antigens; D016695:Glycosyltransferases