pilG Gene cluster and split pilL genes involved in pilus biogenesis, motility and genetic transformation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Shizue Yoshihara; Xiaoxing Geng; Masahiko Ikeuchi

doi:10.1093/pcp/pcf061

pilG Gene cluster and split pilL genes involved in pilus biogenesis, motility and genetic transformation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Plant Cell Physiol. 2002 May;43(5):513-21. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcf061.

Authors

Shizue Yoshihara¹, Xiaoxing Geng, Masahiko Ikeuchi

Affiliation

¹ Department of Life Sciences (Biology), University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902 Japan.

PMID: 12040098
DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcf061

Abstract

The unicellular motile cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 exhibits phototactic motility that depends on the type IV-like thick pilus structure. By gene disruption analysis, we showed that a gene cluster of slr1041, slr1042, slr1043 and slr1044, whose predicted products are homologous to PatA, CheY, CheW and MCP, respectively, was more or less required for pilus assembly, motility and natural transformation competency with extraneous DNA. By sequence homology, the missing cheA-like gene in this cluster was identified as novel split genes, slr0073 and slr0322, at separate loci on the genome. This was confirmed by non-motile phenotype of their disruptants. Unique hyperpiliation was observed in the slr1042 and slr0073 disruptants, suggestive of their specific interaction with pilT1. The genes, thus identified as pil genes in this study, were designated pilG (slr1041), pilH (slr1042), pilI (slr1043), pilJ (slr1044), pilL-N (slr0073) and pilL-C (slr0322).

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acid Sequence
Anabaena / genetics
Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
Bacterial Proteins / radiation effects
Chemotaxis / genetics
Chemotaxis / physiology
Cyanobacteria / genetics*
Cyanobacteria / physiology
Cyanobacteria / radiation effects
Fimbriae Proteins*
Fimbriae, Bacterial / genetics*
Fimbriae, Bacterial / ultrastructure
Light
Membrane Proteins / genetics
Membrane Proteins / radiation effects
Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins
Molecular Sequence Data
Multigene Family*
Mutagenesis, Insertional
Mutation
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Signal Transduction / genetics
Signal Transduction / physiology
Signal Transduction / radiation effects

Substances

Bacterial Proteins
Membrane Proteins
Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins
pilC protein, Neisseria gonorrhoeae
pilH protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
pilI protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
pilJ protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PatA protein, Anabaena
Fimbriae Proteins