scholarly journals Two Lipid Signals Guide Fruiting Body Development of Myxococcus xanthus

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapna Bhat ◽  
Tilman Ahrendt ◽  
Christina Dauth ◽  
Helge B. Bode ◽  
Lawrence J. Shimkets
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Fruiting Body ◽  
Myxococcus Xanthus ◽  
Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Fatty Alcohols ◽  
Lipid Bodies ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Bioactive Lipids ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTMyxococcus xanthusproduces several extracellular signals that guide fruiting body morphogenesis and spore differentiation. Mutants defective in producing a signal may be rescued by codevelopment with wild-type cells or cell fractions containing the signal. In this paper, we identify two molecules that rescue development of the E signal-deficient mutant LS1191 at physiological concentrations,iso15:0 branched-chain fatty acid (FA) and 1-iso15:0-alkyl-2,3-di-iso15:0-acyl glycerol (TG1), a development-specific monoalkyl-diacylglycerol. The physiological concentrations of the bioactive lipids were determined by mass spectrometry from developing wild-type cells using chemically synthesized standards. Synthetic TG1 restored fruiting body morphogenesis and sporulation and activated the expression of the developmentally regulated gene with locus tagMXAN_2146at physiological concentrations, unlike its nearly identical tri-iso15:0 triacylglycerol (TAG) counterpart, which has an ester linkage instead of an ether linkage.iso15:0 FA restored development at physiological concentrations, unlike palmitic acid, a straight-chain fatty acid. The addition of either lipid stimulates cell shortening, with an 87% decline in membrane surface area, concomitantly with the production of lipid bodies at each cell pole and in the center of the cell. We suggest that cells produce triacylglycerol from membrane phospholipids. Bioactive lipids may be released byprogrammedcelldeath (PCD), which claims up to 80% of developing cells, since cells undergoing PCD produce lipid bodies before lysing.IMPORTANCELike mammalian adipose tissue, many of theM. xanthuslipid body lipids are triacylglycerols (TAGs), containing ester-linked fatty acids. In both systems, ester-linked fatty acids are retrieved from TAGs with lipases and consumed by the fatty acid degradation cycle. Both mammals andM. xanthusalso produce lipids containing ether-linked fatty alcohols with alkyl or vinyl linkages, such as plasmalogens. Alkyl and vinyl linkages are not hydrolyzed by lipases, and no clear role has emerged for lipids bearing them. For example, plasmalogen deficiency in mice has detrimental consequences to spermatocyte development, myelination, axonal survival, eye development, and long-term survival, though the precise reasons remain elusive. Lipids containing alkyl- and vinyl-linked fatty alcohols are development-specific products inM. xanthus. Here, we show that one of them rescues the development of E signal-producing mutants at physiological concentrations.

scholarly journals Fatty Acid Oxidation Is Required forMyxococcus xanthusDevelopment

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah A. Bullock ◽  
Huifeng Shen ◽  
Tye O. Boynton ◽  
Lawrence J. Shimkets
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Fruiting Body ◽  
Myxococcus Xanthus ◽  
Wild Strain ◽  
Acid Oxidation ◽  
Cell Physiology ◽  
Lipid Bodies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oxidation Pathway

ABSTRACTMyxococcus xanthuscells produce lipid bodies containing triacylglycerides during fruiting body development. Fatty acid β-oxidation is the most energy-efficient pathway for lipid body catabolism. In this study, we used mutants infadJ(MXAN_5371 and MXAN_6987) andfadI(MXAN_5372) homologs to examine whether β-oxidation serves an essential developmental function. These mutants contained more lipid bodies than the wild-type strain DK1622 and 2-fold more flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), consistent with the reduced consumption of fatty acids by β-oxidation. The β-oxidation pathway mutants exhibited differences in fruiting body morphogenesis and produced spores with thinner coats and a greater susceptibility to thermal stress and UV radiation. The MXAN_5372/5371 operon is upregulated in sporulating cells, and its expression could not be detected incsgA,fruA, ormrpCmutants. Lipid bodies were found to persist in mature spores of DK1622 and wild strain DK851, suggesting that the roles of lipid bodies and β-oxidation may extend to spore germination.IMPORTANCELipid bodies act as a reserve of triacylglycerides for use when other sources of carbon and energy become scarce. β-Oxidation is essential for the efficient metabolism of fatty acids associated with triacylglycerides. Indeed, the disruption of genes in this pathway has been associated with severe disorders in animals and plants.Myxococcus xanthus, a model organism for the study of development, is ideal for investigating the complex effects of altered lipid metabolism on cell physiology. Here, we show that β-oxidation is used to consume fatty acids associated with lipid bodies and that the disruption of the β-oxidation pathway is detrimental to multicellular morphogenesis and spore formation.

scholarly journals Biochemical Characterization of CYP505D6, a Self-Sufficient Cytochrome P450 from the White-Rot FungusPhanerochaete chrysosporium

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (22) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyota Sakai ◽  
Fumiko Matsuzaki ◽  
Lisa Wise ◽  
Yu Sakai ◽  
Sadanari Jindou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Phanerochaete Chrysosporium ◽  
Carbon Chain ◽  
Fatty Alcohols ◽  
White Rot ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Attractive Candidate ◽  
Chain Lengths

ABSTRACTThe activity of a self-sufficient cytochrome P450 enzyme, CYP505D6, from the lignin-degrading basidiomycetePhanerochaete chrysosporiumwas characterized. Recombinant CYP505D6 was produced inEscherichia coliand purified. In the presence of NADPH, CYP505D6 used a series of saturated fatty alcohols with C9–18carbon chain lengths as the substrates. Hydroxylation occurred at the ω-1 to ω-6 positions of such substrates with C9–15carbon chain lengths, except for 1-dodecanol, which was hydroxylated at the ω-1 to ω-7 positions. Fatty acids were also substrates of CYP505D6. Based on the sequence alignment, the corresponding amino acid of Tyr51, which is located at the entrance to the active-site pocket in CYP102A1, was Val51 in CYP505D6. To understand the diverse hydroxylation mechanism, wild-type CYP505D6 and its V51Y variant and wild-type CYP102A1 and its Y51V variant were generated, and the products of their reaction with dodecanoic acid were analyzed. Compared with wild-type CYP505D6, its V51Y variant generated few products hydroxylated at the ω-4 to ω-6 positions. The products generated by wild-type CYP102A1 were hydroxylated at the ω-1 to ω-4 positions, whereas its Y51V variant generated ω-1 to ω-7 hydroxydodecanoic acids. These observations indicated that Val51 plays an important role in determining the regiospecificity of fatty acid hydroxylation, at least that at the ω-4 to ω-6 positions. Aromatic compounds, such as naphthalene and 1-naphthol, were also hydroxylated by CYP505D6. These findings highlight a unique broad substrate spectrum of CYP505D6, rendering it an attractive candidate enzyme for the biotechnological industry.IMPORTANCEPhanerochaete chrysosporiumis a white-rot fungus whose metabolism of lignin, aromatic pollutants, and lipids has been most extensively studied. This fungus harbors 154 cytochrome P450-encoding genes in the genome. As evidenced in this study,P. chrysosporiumCYP505D6, a fused protein of P450 and its reductase, hydroxylates fatty alcohols (C9–15) and fatty acids (C9–15) at the ω-1 to ω-7 or ω-1 to ω-6 positions, respectively. Naphthalene and 1-naphthol were also hydroxylated, indicating that the substrate specificity of CYP505D6 is broader than those of the known fused proteins CYP102A1 and CYP505A1. The substrate versatility of CYP505D6 makes this enzyme an attractive candidate for biotechnological applications.

scholarly journals Enterococcus faecalisEncodes an Atypical Auxiliary Acyl Carrier Protein Required for Efficient Regulation of Fatty Acid Synthesis by Exogenous Fatty Acids

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Zhu ◽  
Qi Zou ◽  
Xinyun Cao ◽  
John E. Cronan
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Oleic Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid Synthesis ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Acid Synthesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACTAcyl carrier proteins (ACPs) play essential roles in the synthesis of fatty acids and transfer of long fatty acyl chains into complex lipids. TheEnterococcus faecalisgenome contains two annotatedacpgenes, calledacpAandacpB. AcpA is encoded within the fatty acid synthesis (fab) operon and appears essential. In contrast, AcpB is an atypical ACP, having only 30% residue identity with AcpA, and is not essential. Deletion ofacpBhas no effect onE. faecalisgrowth orde novofatty acid synthesis in media lacking fatty acids. However, unlike the wild-type strain, where growth with oleic acid resulted in almost complete blockage ofde novofatty acid synthesis, theΔacpBstrain largely continuedde novofatty acid synthesis under these conditions. Blockage in the wild-type strain is due to repression offaboperon transcription, leading to levels of fatty acid synthetic proteins (including AcpA) that are insufficient to supportde novosynthesis. Transcription of thefaboperon is regulated by FabT, a repressor protein that binds DNA only when it is bound to an acyl-ACP ligand. Since AcpA is encoded in thefaboperon, its synthesis is blocked when the operon is repressed andacpAthus cannot provide a stable supply of ACP for synthesis of the acyl-ACP ligand required for DNA binding by FabT. In contrast to AcpA,acpBtranscription is unaffected by growth with exogenous fatty acids and thus provides a stable supply of ACP for conversion to the acyl-ACP ligand required for repression by FabT. Indeed,ΔacpBandΔfabTstrains have essentially the samede novofatty acid synthesis phenotype in oleic acid-grown cultures, which argues that neither strain can form the FabT-acyl-ACP repression complex. Finally, acylated derivatives of both AcpB and AcpA were substrates for theE. faecalisenoyl-ACP reductases and forE. faecalisPlsX (acyl-ACP; phosphate acyltransferase).IMPORTANCEAcpB homologs are encoded by many, but not all, lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillales), including many members of the human microbiome. The mechanisms regulating fatty acid synthesis by exogenous fatty acids play a key role in resistance of these bacteria to those antimicrobials targeted at fatty acid synthesis enzymes. Defective regulation can increase resistance to such inhibitors and also reduce pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Ketoacylsynthase Domains of a Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Synthase in Thraustochytrium sp. Strain ATCC 26185 Can Effectively Function as Stand-Alone Enzymes in Escherichia coli

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Xie ◽  
Dauenpen Meesapyodsuk ◽  
Xiao Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid ◽  
Strain Atcc ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Fatty Acid Production ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Catalytic Domains ◽  
Long Chain

ABSTRACT Thraustochytrium sp. strain ATCC 26185 accumulates a high level of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a nutritionally important ω-3 very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (VLCPUFA) synthesized primarily by polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthase, a type I polyketide synthase-like megaenzyme. The PUFA synthase in this species comprises three large subunits, each with multiple catalytic domains. It was hypothesized that among these domains, ketoacylsynthase (KS) domains might be critical for catalyzing the condensation of specific unsaturated acyl-acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) with malonyl-ACP, thereby retaining double bonds in an extended acyl chain. To investigate the functions of these putative KS domains, two segment sequences from subunit A (KS-A) and subunit B (KS-B) of the PUFA synthase were dissected and then expressed as stand-alone enzymes in Escherichia coli. The results showed that both KS-A and KS-B domains could complement the defective phenotypes of both E. coli fabB and fabF mutants. Overexpression of these domains in wild-type E. coli led to increases in total fatty acid production. KS-B produced a higher ratio of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) to saturated fatty acids (SFAs), while KS-A could improve the overall production of fatty acids more effectively, particularly for the production of SFAs, implying that KS-A is more comparable to FabF, while KS-B is more similar to FabB in catalytic functions. Successful complementation and functional expression of the embedded KS domains in E. coli are the first step forward in studying the molecular mechanism of the PUFA synthase for the biosynthesis of VLCPUFAs in Thraustochytrium. IMPORTANCE Very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs) are important for human health. They can be biosynthesized in either an aerobic pathway or an anaerobic pathway in nature. However, abundant VLCPUFAs in marine microorganisms are primarily synthesized by polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthase, a megaenzyme with multiple subunits, each with multiple catalytic domains. Furthermore, the fundamental mechanism for this enzyme to synthesize these fatty acids still remains unknown. This report started with dissecting the embedded KS domains of the PUFA synthase from marine protist Thraustochytrium sp. strain ATCC 26185 and then expressing them in wild-type E. coli and mutants defective in condensation of acyl-ACP with malonyl-ACP. Successful complementation of the mutants and improved fatty acid production in the overexpression experiments indicate that these KS domains can effectively function as stand-alone enzymes in E. coli. This result has paved the way for further studying of molecular mechanisms of the PUFA synthase for the biosynthesis of VLCPUFAs.

scholarly journals Evidence that His110 of the protein FadL in the outer membrane of Escherichia coli is involved in the binding and uptake of long-chain fatty acids: possible role of this residue in carboxylate binding

1995 ◽  
Vol 310 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
P N Black ◽  
Q Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Long Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Long Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Histidine Residues ◽  
Long Chain

The binding of exogenous fatty acids to the outer-membrane protein FadL of Escherichia coli is specific for long-chain fatty acids (C14-C18). Oleoyl alcohol [(Z)-9-octadecen-1-ol] and methyl oleate were unable to displace FadL-specific binding of [3H]oleate (C18:1), suggesting that the carboxylate of the long-chain fatty acid was required for binding. Therefore the binding of exogenous fatty acids to FadL is governed, in part, by the carboxy group of the long-chain fatty acid. Treatment of whole cells with 1 mM diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) depressed binding by 43-73% over the range of oleate concentrations used (10-500 nM). On the basis of these results and the notion that histidine residues often play a role involving proton transfer and charge-pairing, the five histidine residues within FadL (His110, His226, His327, His345 and His418) were replaced by alanine using site-directed mutagenesis. Altered FadL proteins were correctly localized in the outer membrane at wild-type levels and retained the heat-modifiable property characteristic of the wild-type protein. Initial screening of these fadL mutants revealed that the replacement of His110 by Ala resulted in a decreased growth rate on minimal oleate/agar plates. The rates of long-chain fatty acid transport for delta fadL strains harbouring each mutation on a plasmid, with the exception of fadLH110A, were the same, or nearly the same, as those for the wild-type. fadLH110A was also defective in binding, arguing that the functional effect of this mutation was at the level of long-chain-fatty-acid binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

scholarly journals The peroxisomal transporter gene ANT1 is regulated by a deviant oleate response element (ORE): characterization of the signal for fatty acid induction

2002 ◽  
Vol 365 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanspeter ROTTENSTEINER ◽  
Luigi PALMIERI ◽  
Andreas HARTIG ◽  
Barbara HAMILTON ◽  
Helmut RUIS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Reporter Gene ◽  
Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Lacz Reporter ◽  
Response Element ◽  
Medium Chain ◽  
Medium Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Mutant Cells

Saccharomyces cerevisiae ANT1/YPR128c encodes the peroxisomal adenine nucleotide transporter that provides ATP for intra-peroxisomal activation of medium-chain fatty acids. A lacZ reporter construct comprising the ANT1 promoter was shown to be comparatively more highly expressed in a wild-type strain grown on oleic acid, a long-chain fatty acid, than in pip2Δoaf1Δ mutant cells that are defective in fatty acid induction. The ANT1 promoter was demonstrated to contain a deviant oleate response element (ORE) that could bind the Pip2p-Oaf1p transcription factor and confer activation on a basal CYC1-lacZ reporter gene. Expression of Ant1p as well as other enzymes whose genes are known to be regulated by a canonical ORE was found to be increased in cells grown on lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid. We concluded that the signal for induction does not differentiate between long- and medium-chain fatty acids. This signal was independent of β-oxidation or the biogenesis of the peroxisomal compartment where this process occurs, since a pox1Δ strain blocked in the first and rate-limiting step of β-oxidation as well as various pex mutant cells devoid of intact peroxisomes produced sufficient amounts of Pip2p-Oaf1p for binding OREs in vitro and for expressing an ORE-driven reporter gene. The signal's durability was shown to be related to the concentration of fatty acids in the medium, since a pex6Δ strain expressed an ORE-driven reporter gene at high levels for a longer period than did isogenic wild-type cells. Generation of the signal was also independent of protein synthesis, as demonstrated by cycloheximide treatment.

scholarly journals The Canonical Long-Chain Fatty Acid Sensing Machinery Processes Arachidonic Acid To Inhibit Virulence in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Ellermann ◽  
Angel G. Jimenez ◽  
Reed Pifer ◽  
Nestor Ruiz ◽  
Vanessa Sperandio
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Arachidonic Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Host Immunity ◽  
Long Chain Fatty Acid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Chain

ABSTRACT The mammalian gastrointestinal tract is a complex biochemical organ that generates a diverse milieu of host- and microbe-derived metabolites. In this environment, bacterial pathogens sense and respond to specific stimuli, which are integrated into the regulation of their virulence programs. Previously, we identified the transcription factor FadR, a long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) sensor, as a novel virulence regulator in the human foodborne pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Here, we demonstrate that exogenous LCFAs directly inhibit the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island in EHEC through sensing by FadR. Moreover, in addition to LCFAs that are 18 carbons in length or shorter, we introduce host-derived arachidonic acid (C20:4) as an additional LCFA that is recognized by the FadR system in EHEC. We show that arachidonic acid is processed by the acyl-CoA synthetase FadD, which permits binding to FadR and decreases FadR affinity for its target DNA sequences. This interaction enables the transcriptional regulation of FadR-responsive operons by arachidonic acid in EHEC, including the LEE. Finally, we show that arachidonic acid inhibits hallmarks of EHEC disease in a FadR-dependent manner, including EHEC attachment to epithelial cells and the formation of attaching and effacing lesions. Together, our findings delineate a molecular mechanism demonstrating how LCFAs can directly inhibit the virulence of an enteric bacterial pathogen. More broadly, our findings expand the repertoire of ligands sensed by the canonical LFCA sensing machinery in EHEC to include arachidonic acid, an important bioactive lipid that is ubiquitous within host environments. IMPORTANCE Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play important roles in host immunity. Manipulation of lipid content in host tissues through diet or pharmacological interventions is associated with altered severity of various inflammatory diseases. Our work introduces a defined host-pathogen interaction by which arachidonic acid, a host-derived and dietary PUFA, can impact the outcome of enteric infection with the human pathogen enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). We show that long-chain fatty acids including arachidonic acid act as signaling molecules that directly suppress a key pathogenicity island in EHEC following recognition by the fatty acyl-CoA-responsive transcription factor FadR. Thus, in addition to its established effects on host immunity and its bactericidal activities against other pathogens, we demonstrate that arachidonic acid also acts as a signaling molecule that inhibits virulence in an enteric pathogen.

scholarly journals Exogenous Fatty Acids Remodel Staphylococcus aureus Lipid Composition through Fatty Acid Kinase

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary DeMars ◽  
Vineet K. Singh ◽  
Jeffrey L. Bose
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Oleic Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Lipid Composition ◽  
Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Mouse Skin ◽  
Membrane Composition ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus can utilize exogenous fatty acids for phospholipid synthesis. The fatty acid kinase FakA is essential for this utilization by phosphorylating exogenous fatty acids for incorporation into lipids. How FakA impacts the lipid membrane composition is unknown. In this study, we used mass spectrometry to determine the membrane lipid composition and properties of S. aureus in the absence of fakA. We found the fakA mutant to have increased abundance of lipids containing longer acyl chains. Since S. aureus does not synthesize unsaturated fatty acids, we utilized oleic acid (18:1) to track exogenous fatty acid incorporation into lipids. We observed a concentration-dependent incorporation of exogenous fatty acids into the membrane that required FakA. We also tested how FakA and exogenous fatty acids impact membrane-related physiology and identified changes in membrane potential, cellular respiration, and membrane fluidity. To mimic the host environment, we characterized the lipid composition of wild-type and fakA mutant bacteria grown in mouse skin homogenate. We show that wild-type S. aureus can incorporate exogenous unsaturated fatty acids from host tissue, highlighting the importance of FakA in the presence of host skin tissue. In conclusion, FakA is important for maintaining the composition and properties of the phospholipid membrane in the presence of exogenous fatty acids, impacting overall cell physiology. IMPORTANCE Environmental fatty acids can be harvested to supplement endogenous fatty acid synthesis to produce membranes and circumvent fatty acid biosynthesis inhibitors. However, how the inability to use these fatty acids impacts lipids is unclear. Our results reveal lipid composition changes in response to fatty acid addition and when S. aureus is unable to activate fatty acids through FakA. We identify concentration-dependent utilization of oleic acid that, when combined with previous work, provides evidence that fatty acids can serve as a signal to S. aureus. Furthermore, using mouse skin homogenates as a surrogate for in vivo conditions, we showed that S. aureus can incorporate host fatty acids. This study highlights how exogenous fatty acids impact bacterial membrane composition and function.

scholarly journals Straight-Chain Fatty Acids Are Dispensable in the Myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus for Vegetative Growth and Fruiting Body Formation

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (15) ◽  
pp. 5632-5634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helge B. Bode ◽  
Michael W. Ring ◽  
Dale Kaiser ◽  
Anna C. David ◽  
Reiner M. Kroppenstedt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Fruiting Body ◽  
Myxococcus Xanthus ◽  
Fruiting Body Formation ◽  
Straight Chain ◽  
Body Formation ◽  
Total Fatty Acids ◽  
Chain Fatty Acids

ABSTRACT Inactivation of the MXAN_0853 gene blocked the production in Myxococcus xanthus of straight-chain fatty acids which otherwise represent 30% of total fatty acids. Despite this drastic change in the fatty acid profile, no change in phenotype could be observed, which contrasts with previous interpretations of the role of straight-chain fatty acids in the organism's development.

scholarly journals act Operon Control of Developmental Gene Expression in Myxococcus xanthus

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (4) ◽  
pp. 1172-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas M. A. Gronewold ◽  
Dale Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Fruiting Body ◽  
Myxococcus Xanthus ◽  
The Other ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Developmental Gene ◽  
Developmental Gene Expression ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Signal Production

ABSTRACT Cell-bound C-signal guides the building of a fruiting body and triggers the differentiation of myxospores. Earlier work has shown that transcription of the csgA gene, which encodes the C-signal, is directed by four genes of the act operon. To see how expression of the genes encoding components of the aggregation and sporulation processes depends on C-signaling, mutants with loss-of-function mutations in each of the act genes were investigated. These mutations were found to have no effect on genes that are normally expressed up to 3 h into development and are C-signal independent. Neither the time of first expression nor the rate of expression increase was changed in actA, actB, actC, or actD mutant strains. Also, there was no effect on A-signal production, which normally starts before 3 h. By contrast, the null act mutants have striking defects in C-signal production. These mutations changed the expression of four gene reporters that are related to aggregation and sporulation and are expressed at 6 h or later in development. The actA and actB null mutations substantially decreased the expression of all these reporters. The other act null mutations caused either premature expression to wild-type levels (actC) or delayed expression (actD), which ultimately rose to wild-type levels. The pattern of effects on these reporters shows how the C-signal differentially regulates the steps that together build a fruiting body and differentiate spores within it.

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