Improving Cellular Properties for Genetic Manipulation by Dispersed Growing Mutagenesis in Myxococcus fulvus HW-1

• DOI: 10.1007/s00284-009-9554-0
• Publication Date: 2009-12-09T02:42:01Z
• Authors: Cui-ying Zhang; Ke Cai; Zhi-hong Wu; Yue-zhong Li
• Keywords: Strain (injury); Myxococcus xanthus; Myxobacteria

One of the key limitations to genetic manipulation in myxobacteria is that the cells grow in clumps in liquid. A salt-tolerant strain HW-1 of Myxococcus fulvus was treated with UV irradiation and produced a completely dispersedly growing mutant UV684. There were no significant differences between the parent HW-1 and the mutant UV684 in terms of salt-tolerant growth. The mutant UV684 and the parent strain had the similar abilities of the fruiting body formation and S motility. Interestingly, the mutant exhibited high transformation/transposition efficiency with 10(5)-10(6) colony-forming units per microg DNA, which was about 10(3)-10(5) fold higher than HW-1. The results indicate that the mutation that led to dispersed growth in the UV684 mutant strain had a few impacts on social behavior, but greatly facilitated molecular genetic manipulation.