Spore formation in Myxococcus xanthus is tied to cytoskeleton functions and polysaccharide spore coat deposition.

ABSTRACT: Myxococcus xanthus is a Gram-negative bacterium that differentiates into environmentally resistant spores. Spore differentiation involves septation-independent remodelling of the rod-shaped vegetative cell into a spherical spore and deposition of a thick and compact spore coat outside of the outer membrane. Our analyses suggest that spore coat polysaccharides are exported to the cell surface by the Exo outer membrane polysaccharide export/polysaccharide co-polymerase 2a (OPX/PCP-2a) machinery. Conversion of the capsule-like polysaccharide layer into a compact spore coat layer requires the Nfs proteins which likely form a complex in the cell envelope. Mutants in either nfs, exo or two other genetic loci encoding homologues of polysaccharide synthesis enzymes fail to complete morphogenesis f

SUBMITTER: Muller FD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3832110 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature