title: pilG Gene cluster and split pilL genes involved in pilus biogenesis, motility and genetic transformation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.
abstract: The unicellular motile cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 exhibits phototactic motility that depends on the type IV-like thick pilus structure. By gene disruption analysis, we showed that a gene cluster of slr1041, slr1042, slr1043 and slr1044, whose predicted products are homologous to PatA, CheY, CheW and MCP, respectively, was more or less required for pilus assembly, motility and natural transformation competency with extraneous DNA. By sequence homology, the missing cheA-like gene in this cluster was identified as novel split genes, slr0073 and slr0322, at separate loci on the genome. This was confirmed by non-motile phenotype of their disruptants. Unique hyperpiliation was observed in the slr1042 and slr0073 disruptants, suggestive of their specific interaction with pilT1. The genes, thus identified as pil genes in this study, were designated pilG (slr1041), pilH (slr1042), pilI (slr1043), pilJ (slr1044), pilL-N (slr0073) and pilL-C (slr0322).
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (Biology), University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902 Japan.
authors.forename: Shizue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: Xiaoxing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeuchi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017033:Anabaena / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008027:Light; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D000072236:Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009154:Mutation; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000072236:Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins; C079208:pilC protein, Neisseria gonorrhoeae; C086589:pilH protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; C086590:pilI protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; C086591:pilJ protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; C075180:PatA protein, Anabaena; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins