Identification of the lipopolysaccharide O‐antigen biosynthesis priming enzyme and the O‐antigen ligase in Myxococcus xanthus : critical role of LPS O‐antigen in motility and development

What is it about?

Myxococcus xanthus displays several social behaviors involving cell-cell contacts. To understand the role of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in these behaviors, we identified key enzymes involved in O-antigen and LPS biosynthesis: the polyisoprenyl-phosphate hexose-1-phosphate transferase, responsible for priming O-antigen synthesis, and the O-antigen ligase. We show that LPS O-antigen is important for gliding motility, conditionally important for type IV pili-dependent motility and required to complete the developmental program resulting in fruiting body formation.

Featured Image