title: Genetic circuitry controlling motility behaviors of Myxococcus xanthus.
abstract: M. xanthus has a complex multicellular lifestyle including swarming, predation and development. These behaviors depend on the ability of the cells to achieve directed motility across solid surfaces. M. xanthus cells have evolved two motility systems including Type-IV pili that act as grappling hooks and a controversial engine involving mucus secretion and fixed focal adhesion sites. The necessity for cells to coordinate the motility systems and to respond rapidly to environmental cues is reflected by a complex genetic network involving at least three complete sets of chemosensory systems and eukaryotic-like signaling proteins. In this review, we discuss recent advances suggesting that motor synchronization results from spatial oscillations of motility proteins. We further propose that these dynamics are modulated by the action of multiple upstream complementary signaling systems. M. xanthus is thus an exciting emerging model system to study the intricate processes of directed cell migration.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologie Structurale et Microbiologie. Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, CNRS UPR 9043, Groupe de Biologie Cellulaire de la Motilité Bactérienne, Marseille, France. tmignot@ibsm.cnrs-mrs.fr
authors.forename: Tâm
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mignot
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kirby
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D002465:Cell Movement; D002633:Chemotaxis; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009068:Movement; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus; D009991:Oscillometry; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins