INTERCELLULAR SIGNALING IN MYXOCOCCUS XANTHUS

描述：本研究的长期目标是了解 细菌用于细胞间相互作用的分子机制。 这 提案集中于研究模型细菌的细胞间信号传导， 黄色粘球菌 M. xanthus是一种革兰氏阴性细菌， 多种多细胞行为。 当缺乏营养时，细胞 聚合形成子实体，这一过程涉及趋化性 运动和细胞间信号传导。 先前的研究显示 发育细胞在饥饿期间释放化学引诱物， 化学引诱物被化学感觉系统感觉到， 趋化系统 这项研究的目的是找出化学 发育化学引诱物的性质，并了解 信号分子被化学感受系统感受到，并被传递到细胞中。 frz趋化系统 本文介绍了遗传学、分子生物学和生物化学方法 1）一组不能产生或感测突变体的突变体， 发育化学引诱物将被分离和表征。 2)的 有趣的突变基因将被克隆和测序; 将研究基因表达。 3)基因的生化特性 产品将重点研究生产或 感觉发育化学引诱物;细胞外基质 将收集发育细胞并分级用于发育 化学引诱物 了解M. xanthus可以 深入了解其他生物系统的信号机制。

DESCRIPTION: The long-term goal of this research is to understand the molecular mechanisms which bacteria use for cell-cell interactions. This proposal focuses on studying intercellular signaling of a model bacterium, Myxococcus xanthus. M. xanthus is a Gram-negative bacterium that exhibits a variety of multicellular behaviors. When deprived of nutrients, cells aggregate to form fruiting bodies, a process that involves chemotactic movement and intercellular signaling. Previous studies showed that developmental cells release chemoattractants during starvation and that the chemoattractants are sensed by chemosensory systems and relayed into the frz chemotaxis system. The objectives of the study are to find out the chemical natures of the developmental chemoattractants and to understand how the signal molecules are sensed by the chemosensory systems and relayed into the frz chemotaxis system. Described here are the genetic, molecular biological and biochemical methods to be used: 1) A set of mutants which fail to produce or sense the developmental chemoattractants will be isolated and characterized. 2) The interesting mutation genes will be cloned and sequenced; the regulation of gene expression will be studied. 3) The biochemical properties of the gene products will be studied with emphasis on the functions for producing or sensing developmental chemoattractants; extracellular matrix of developmental cells will be collected and fractionated for the developmental chemoattractants. Knowledge of intercellular signaling of M. xanthus could give insights into signaling mechanisms of other biological systems.