Identification of genes encoding components of the swarmer cell flagellar motor and propeller and a sigma factor controlling differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

L L McCarter; M E Wright

doi:10.1128/jb.175.11.3361-3371.1993

Back

Identification of genes encoding components of the swarmer cell flagellar motor and propeller and a sigma factor controlling differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Identification of genes encoding components of the swarmer cell flagellar motor and propeller and a sigma factor controlling differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

L L McCarter and M E Wright

Journal of bacteriology, Vol.175(11), pp.3361-3371

06/1993

DOI: 10.1128/jb.175.11.3361-3371.1993

PMCID: PMC204733

PMID: 8501040

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.175.11.3361-3371.1993View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Vibrio parahaemolyticus possesses two distinct motility systems, the polar system used for swimming in liquid environments and the lateral system used for swarming over surfaces. Growth on surfaces induces swarmer cell differentiation and expression of the lateral motility system. Mutants, created by transposon mutagenesis of a clone expressing lateral flagellin and gene disruption in V. parahaemolyticus, were unable to swarm and failed to make lateral flagellin; therefore, unlike the case for the polar system, there is one gene (lafA) encoding lateral flagellin. In addition to lafA, other genes required for swarming but not for swimming were identified by gene replacement mutagenesis. The nucleotide sequence of the clone determined open reading frames (ORFs) and deduced amino acid sequences showed similarities to flagellar components of other bacteria: flagellin, hook-associated protein (HAP2), motor components, and flagellar sigma factor (sigma 28). Many sigma 28 factors have been shown to recognize cognate promoters; however, expression of lafA in Escherichia coli required LafS, and E. coli sigma 28 did not substitute. Also, there were no sequences preceding genes encoding flagellin or HAP2 resembling the sigma 28 consensus promoter. The product of the sigma-like gene seems to be a unique member of the sigma 28 cluster. It appears the result of requiring expression for immunodetection of flagellin clones was that the sigma locus was fortuitously cloned, since the sigma and lafA loci were not contiguous in the chromosome. This work initiates identification and placement of genes in a scheme of control for swarmer cell differentiation; three levels have been identified in the transcriptional hierarchy.

Amino Acid Sequence

Flagella - physiology

Genes, Bacterial - genetics

Morphogenesis - genetics

Bacterial Proteins - genetics

Molecular Sequence Data

Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis

Restriction Mapping

Cell Movement - genetics

Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid - genetics

Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

Base Sequence

Vibrio parahaemolyticus - physiology

Cloning, Molecular

Bacterial Proteins - biosynthesis

Mutagenesis, Insertional

Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial

Sigma Factor - genetics

Details

Title: Subtitle: Identification of genes encoding components of the swarmer cell flagellar motor and propeller and a sigma factor controlling differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Creators: L L McCarter - Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
M E Wright
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of bacteriology, Vol.175(11), pp.3361-3371
DOI: 10.1128/jb.175.11.3361-3371.1993
PMID: 8501040
PMCID: PMC204733
NLM abbreviation: J Bacteriol
ISSN: 0021-9193
eISSN: 1098-5530
Publisher: United States
Grant note: GM43196 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/1993
Academic Unit: Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Microbiology and Immunology
Record Identifier: 9984025579402771

Metrics

22 Record Views

64 Times Cited - Web of Science