Mechanisms of Adventurous-motility in Myxococcus xanthus

脊椎动物的胚胎发育需要协调的多细胞运动，但人们对如何调节这种运动知之甚少。脊椎动物不容易受到侵入性实验操作，因此表现出类似行为的更简单的生物体更适合此类研究。细菌粘球菌 xanthus 是研究多细胞运动的理想生物体，因为粘球菌细胞通过滑行作为公共群移动并组装成复杂的多细胞子实体，然后在营养有限时分化粘液孢子。 M. xanthus 的滑翔运动由两个独立的遗传系统控制：冒险型 (A) 和社交型 (S)。 S 系统为邻近的细胞提供运动，并依赖于 IV 型菌毛。 A 系统为分离的细胞提供运动能力，但其机制仍不清楚。该提案的主要目标是通过识别 A 基因来了解 A 运动机制。通过识别 A 基因来确定 A 运动性之间的相关性。还将研究 A 运动和弹性趋性之间的相关性，以及 M. xanthus 中两个独立运动系统的协调。

Embryonic development of vertebrates requires coordinated multicellular movements, but little is known about how such movements are regulated. Vertebrates are not easily subjected to intrusive experimental manipulations, so a simpler organism that displays similar behavior is better suited for this type of study. The bacterium Myxococcus xanthus serves as an ideal organism for studying multi- cellular movements, as M. xanthus cells move as communal swarms by gliding and assemble into complex multi-cellular fruiting bodies, followed by differentiation of myxospoes when nutrients are limited. Gliding motility in M. xanthus is controlled by two independent genetic systems: Adventurous (A) and Social (S). The S-system provides movement for cells in close proximity and depends on type IV pili. The A-system provides motility for isolated cells, but the mechanism remains unclear. The main goal of this proposal is to understand mechanism of A-motility by identifying the A-genes. The correlation between A- motility by identifying the A-genes. The correlation between A-motility and elasticotaxis, and coordination of the two independent motility systems in M. xanthus will also be investigated.