title: Uncovering the mystery of gliding motility in the myxobacteria.
abstract: Bacterial gliding motility is the smooth movement of cells on solid surfaces unaided by flagella or pili. Many diverse groups of bacteria exhibit gliding, but the mechanism of gliding motility has remained a mystery since it was first observed more than a century ago. Recent studies on the motility of Myxococcus xanthus, a soil myxobacterium, suggest a likely mechanism for gliding in this organism. About forty M. xanthus genes were shown to be involved in gliding motility, and some of their protein products were labeled and localized within cells. These studies suggest that gliding motility in M. xanthus involves large multiprotein structural complexes, regulatory proteins, and cytoskeletal filaments. In this review, we summarize recent experiments that provide the basis for this emerging view of M. xanthus motility. We also discuss alternative models for gliding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. zusman@berkeley.edu
authors.forename: Beiyan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Zusman
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005407:Flagella / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D022001:Focal Adhesions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009068:Movement; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D055571:Secretory Pathway
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; C071728:MglA protein, Myxococcus xanthus; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate