AglU, a protein required for gliding motility and spore maturation of Myxococcus xanthus, is related to WD‐repeat proteins

The aglU gene of Myxococcus xanthus encodes a protein similar to Het‐E1 (vegetative incompatibility) from Podospora anserina, acylaminoacyl‐peptidase from Bacillus subtilis, and TolB from Escherichia coli. These proteins all have evenly spaced SPDG repeats that are characteristic of a larger motif c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular microbiology 2000-05, Vol.36 (3), p.662-678
Main Authors: White, David J., Hartzell, Patricia L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aglU gene
AglU protein
Amino Acid Sequence
Bacillus subtilis - enzymology
Bacillus subtilis - genetics
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Base Sequence
DNA Primers
Escherichia coli - genetics
Escherichia coli - metabolism
Escherichia coli Proteins
Fungal Proteins - genetics
Fungal Proteins - physiology
Genetic Complementation Test
GTP-Binding Proteins - genetics
Lipoproteins - chemistry
Lipoproteins - genetics
Lipoproteins - physiology
Molecular Sequence Data
Movement
Myxococcus xanthus
Myxococcus xanthus - genetics
Myxococcus xanthus - physiology
Myxococcus xanthus - ultrastructure
Peptide Hydrolases - genetics
Periplasmic Proteins
Phenotype
Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Spores, Bacterial - physiology
Spores, Bacterial - ultrastructure
WD-repeat protein
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Description
Summary:The aglU gene of Myxococcus xanthus encodes a protein similar to Het‐E1 (vegetative incompatibility) from Podospora anserina, acylaminoacyl‐peptidase from Bacillus subtilis, and TolB from Escherichia coli. These proteins all have evenly spaced SPDG repeats that are characteristic of a larger motif called the WD‐repeat. The WD‐repeat is predicted to form a β‐propeller structure that mediates the assembly of heteromeric protein complexes. AglU has a consensus lipoprotein attachment motif that includes a type II signal sequence followed by a cysteine residue. This suggests that AglU is matured, then attached to the outer membrane via fatty acid acylation at this Cys. Cells carrying a mutation in aglU are blocked in adventurous gliding and can swarm only if cells are in contact with one another. When starved of nutrients, the aglU mutant aggregates and forms multicellular fruiting bodies like the wild‐type strain, but is unable to produce heat‐resistant spores. This suggests that adventurous gliding motility, per se, is not required for development, but that AglU is essential for a terminal step of spore differentiation.
ISSN:0950-382X
1365-2958
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2958.2000.01887.x