Two localization motifs mediate polar residence of FrzS during cell movement and reversals of Myxococcus xanthus.
Myxococcus xanthus utilizes two motility systems for surface locomotion: A-motility and S-motility. S-motility is mediated by extension and retraction of type IV pili. Cells exhibiting S-motility periodically reverse by switching the assembly of type IV pili from the old leading pole to the new leading pole. These cellular reversals involve regulated pole-to-pole oscillations of the FrzS protein. We constructed and characterized in-frame deletion mutations in several FrzS domains to determine their roles in protein localization. We found that FrzS has distinct domains required for residence at the leading cell pole, pole-to-pole transport and lagging cell pole. Our results are consistent with a model whereby S-motility reversals are mediated by a protein translocation system that delivers motility proteins such as FrzS from the leading cell pole to the lagging cell pole.
Mignot
Tâm
T
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3204, USA.
Merlie
John P
JP
Zusman
David R
DR
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016764:Cell Polarity; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009068:Movement; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017384:Sequence Deletion
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C415990:FrzS protein, Myxococcus xanthus