title: The groEL2 gene, but not groEL1, is required for biosynthesis of the secondary metabolite myxovirescin in Myxococcus xanthus DK1622.
abstract: Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 possesses two copies of the groEL gene: groEL1, which participates in development, and groEL2, which is involved in the predatory ability of cells. In this study, we determined that the groEL2 gene is required for the biosynthesis of the secondary metabolite myxovirescin (TA), which plays essential roles in predation. The groEL2-knockout mutant strain was defective in producing a zone of inhibition and displayed decreased killing ability against Escherichia coli, while the groEL1-knockout mutant strain exhibited little difference from the wild-type strain DK1622. HPLC revealed that deletion of the groEL2 gene blocked the production of TA, which was present in the groEL1-knockout mutant. The addition of exogenous TA rescued the inhibition and killing abilities of the groEL2-knockout mutant against E. coli. Analysis of GroEL domain-swapping mutants indicated that the C-terminal equatorial domain of GroEL2 was essential for TA production, while the N-terminal equatorial or apical domains of GroEL2 were not sufficient to rescue TA production of the groEL2 knockout.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiuwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, PR China.
authors.forename: Yue-Zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D007783:Lactones / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D064210:Secondary Metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D007783:Lactones; C036969:myxovirescin A