Phosphate acquisition components of the Myxococcus xanthus Pho regulon are regulated by both phosphate availability and development.

ABSTRACT: In many organisms, phosphatase expression and phosphate (P) uptake are coordinately regulated by the Pho regulon. In Myxococcus xanthus P limitation initiates multicellular development, a process associated with changes in phosphatase expression. We sought here to characterize the link between P acquisition and development in this bacterium, an organism capable of preying upon other microorganisms as a sole nutrient source. M. xanthus seems to possess no significant internal P stores, as reducing the P concentration to less than 10 microM retarded growth within one doubling time. Pyrophosphate, polyphosphate, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate could support growth as sole P sources, although many other P-containing biomolecules could not (including nucleic acids and phospholipids). Several Pho

SUBMITTER: Whitworth DE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2258891 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature