Swarmer Cell Development of the Bacterium Proteus mirabilis Requires the Conserved Enterobacterial Common Antigen Biosynthesis Gene rffG.

ABSTRACT: Individual cells of the bacterium Proteus mirabilis can elongate up to 40-fold on surfaces before engaging in a cooperative surface-based motility termed swarming. How cells regulate this dramatic morphological remodeling remains an open question. In this paper, we move forward the understanding of this regulation by demonstrating that P. mirabilis requires the gene rffG for swarmer cell elongation and subsequent swarm motility. The rffG gene encodes a protein homologous to the dTDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase protein of Escherichia coli, which contributes to enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis. Here, we characterize the rffG gene in P. mirabilis, demonstrating that it is required for the production of large lipopolysaccharide-linked moi

SUBMITTER: Little K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6112005 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature