The polar Ras-like GTPase MglA activates type IV pilus via SgmX to enable twitching motility in Myxococcus xanthus

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002783117
• Publication Date: 2020-10-23T00:01:35Z
• Authors: Romain Mercier; Sarah Bautista; Maëlle Delannoy; Margaux Gibert; Annick Guiseppi; Julien Herrou; Emilia M. F. Maur...; Tâm Mignot
• Keywords: Myxococcus xanthus; Pilin; Gliding motility

Significance The type IV pilus (Tfp) is a multipurpose machine found on bacterial surfaces that works by cycles of synthesis/retraction pilin fiber. During surface (twitching) motility, the coordinated actions multiple Tfps at cell pole promotes single cells and synchronized group movements. Here, directly observing polar Tfp machines in action during motility Myxococcus xanthus , we identified mechanism underlying pole-specific activation. In this process, Ras-like protein MglA targets novel essential Tfp-activator, SgmX, to pole, ensuring both unipolar activation its switching opposite when reverse their movement. Thus, dynamic cascade activators regulates multicellular movements, feature likely conserved other twitching bacteria.