An extracellular matrix-associated zinc metalloprotease is required for dilauroyl phosphatidylethanolamine chemotactic excitation in Myxococcus xanthus.

ABSTRACT: An extracellular matrix connects bacteria that live in organized assemblages called biofilms. While the role of the matrix in the regulation of cell behavior has not been extensively examined in bacteria, we suggest that, like mammalian cells, the matrix facilitates cell-cell interactions involved with regulation of cohesion, motility, and sensory transduction. The extracellular matrix of the soil bacterium Myxococcus xanthus is essential for biofilm formation and fruiting body development. The matrix material is extruded as long, thin fibrils that mediate adhesion to surfaces, cohesion to other cells, and excitation by the chemoattractant dilauroyl phosphatidylethanolamine. We report the identification of a putative matrix-associated zinc metalloprotease called FibA (fibril protein A). We

SUBMITTER: Kearns DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC134888 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature