Genetic determinants of Silicibacter sp. TM1040 motility.

ABSTRACT: Silicibacter sp. TM1040 is a member of the marine Roseobacter clade of Alphaproteobacteria that forms symbioses with unicellular eukaryotic phytoplankton, such as dinoflagellates. The symbiosis is complex and involves a series of steps that physiologically change highly motile bacteria into cells that readily form biofilms on the surface of the host. The initial phases of symbiosis require bacterial motility and chemotaxis that drive the swimming bacteria toward their planktonic host. Cells lacking wild-type motility fail to establish biofilms on host cells and do not produce effective symbioses, emphasizing the importance of understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling flagellar biosynthesis and the biphasic "swim-or-stick" switch. In the present study, we used a combination of bioi

SUBMITTER: Belas R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2704728 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature