Mutant Analysis Reveals a Specific Requirement for Protein P30 in Mycoplasma pneumoniae Gliding Motility

摘要: The cell-wall-less prokaryote Mycoplasma pneumoniae, long considered among the smallest and simplest cells capable of self-replication, has a distinct cellular polarity characterized by presence differentiated terminal organelle which functions in adherence to human respiratory epithelium, gliding motility, cell division. Characterization hemadsorption (HA)-negative mutants resulted identification several proteins, including P30, loss results developmental defects decreased host cells, but their impact on M. pneumoniae not been investigated. Here we examined contribution P30 motility basis satellite growth velocity frequency. HA mutant II-3 lacking was nonmotile, II-7 producing truncated motile, albeit at 50-fold less than that wild type. HA-positive revertant II-3R an altered unexpectedly fully type with respect gliding. Complementation recombinant wild-type alleles confirmed correlation between defect or alteration P30. Surprisingly, fusion yellow fluorescent protein C terminus had little significantly enhanced HA. Finally, while quantitative examination revealed clear distinctions these strains, did correlate strictly phenotype, all strains attached glass levels. Taken together, findings suggest role for is from its requirement adherence.