The long-term goal of this research is to understand the molecular mechanisms which bacteria use for cell-cell interactions. This proposal focuses on studying intercellular signaling of a model bacterium, Myxococcus xanthus. M. xanthus is a Gram-negative bacterium that exhibits a variety of multicellular behaviors. When deprived of nutrients, cells aggregate to form fruiting bodies, a process that involves chemotactic movement and intercellular signaling. Previous studies showed that developmental cells release chemoattractants during starvation and that the chemoattractants are sensed by chemosensory systems and relayed into the frz chemotaxis system. The objectives of the study are to find out the chemical natures of the developmental chemoattractants and to understand how the signal molecules are sensed by the chemosensory systems and relayed into the frz chemotaxis system. Described here are the genetic, molecular biological and biochemical methods to be used: 1) A set of mutants which fail to produce or sense the developmental chemoattractants will be isolated and characterized. 2) The interesting mutation genes will be cloned and sequenced; the regulation of gene expression will be studied. 3) The biochemical properties of the gene products will be studied with emphasis on the functions for producing or sensing developmental chemoattractants; extracellular matrix of developmental cells will be collected and fractionated for the developmental chemoattractants. Knowledge of intercellular signaling of M. xanthus could give insights into signaling mechanisms of other biological systems.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM054666-03
Application #
2750106
Study Section
Microbial Physiology and Genetics Subcommittee 2 (MBC)
Project Start
1996-08-01
Project End
2001-07-31
Budget Start
1998-08-01
Budget End
1999-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
119132785
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Hu, Wei; Gibiansky, Maxsim L; Wang, Jing et al. (2016) Interplay between type IV pili activity and exopolysaccharides secretion controls motility patterns in single cells of Myxococcus xanthus. Sci Rep 6:17790
Gibiansky, Maxsim L; Hu, Wei; Dahmen, Karin A et al. (2013) Earthquake-like dynamics in Myxococcus xanthus social motility. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110:2330-5
Pan, Hongwei; He, Xuesong; Lux, Renate et al. (2013) Killing of Escherichia coli by Myxococcus xanthus in aqueous environments requires exopolysaccharide-dependent physical contact. Microb Ecol 66:630-8
Hu, Wei; Lux, Renate; Shi, Wenyuan (2013) Analysis of exopolysaccharides in Myxococcus xanthus using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 966:121-31
Hu, Wei; Yang, Zhe; Lux, Renate et al. (2012) Direct visualization of the interaction between pilin and exopolysaccharides of Myxococcus xanthus with eGFP-fused PilA protein. FEMS Microbiol Lett 326:23-30
Hu, Wei; Wang, Jing; McHardy, Ian et al. (2012) Effects of exopolysaccharide production on liquid vegetative growth, stress survival, and stationary phase recovery in Myxococcus xanthus. J Microbiol 50:241-8
Hu, Wei; Li, Lina; Sharma, Shivani et al. (2012) DNA builds and strengthens the extracellular matrix in Myxococcus xanthus biofilms by interacting with exopolysaccharides. PLoS One 7:e51905
Pan, Hongwei; Luan, Jia; He, Xuesong et al. (2012) The clpB gene is involved in the stress response of Myxococcus xanthus during vegetative growth and development. Microbiology 158:2336-43
Yang, Zhe; Hu, Wei; Chen, Kevin et al. (2011) Alanine 32 in PilA is important for PilA stability and type IV pili function in Myxococcus xanthus. Microbiology 157:1920-8
Hu, Wei; Hossain, Muhaiminu; Lux, Renate et al. (2011) Exopolysaccharide-independent social motility of Myxococcus xanthus. PLoS One 6:e16102

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