title: Involvement of Mycobacterium smegmatis undecaprenyl phosphokinase in biofilm and smegma formation.
abstract: We describe a Mycobacterium smegmatis mutant with impaired biofilm and smegma formation. A gene homologous to Escherichia coli bacA, which has been proposed to play a role as undecaprenyl phosphokinase (Upk) was unmarked in-frame deleted from M. smegmatis. Though Upk is involved in cell wall synthesis, the surface of the mutant strain appeared virtually comparable to that of the wild type by electron microscopy. The absence of Upk influenced colony morphology and bacitracin resistance. The M. smegmatis Deltaupk mutant developed a biofilm characterized by scattered islands of bacteria distinct from the completely covered biofilm surface observed for wild-type bacteria. We further demonstrate biological consequences of upk deletion for smegma development in an in vivo model. These results suggest the upk gene to be essential in biofilm and smegma development.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Department of Immunology, Schumannstrasse 21-22, D-10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Röse
authors.forename: Stefan H E
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daugelat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010413:Penis / Q000382:microbiology; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012902:Smegma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001414:Bacitracin; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C021454:undecaprenol kinase