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Journal of Bacteriology, January 2001, p. 763-767, Vol. 183, No. 2
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.2.763-767.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exhibits Directed Twitching Motility Up Phosphatidylethanolamine Gradients

Daniel B. Kearns,1 Jayne Robinson,2 and Lawrence J. Shimkets1,*

Department of Microbiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602,1 and Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio 45496-23202

Received 17 July 2000/Accepted 16 October 2000

Pseudomonas aeruginosa translocates over solid surfaces by a type IV pilus-dependent form of multicellular motility known as twitching. We wondered whether cells utilize endogenous factors to organize twitching, and we purified from wild-type cells a lipid that caused directed movement. Wild-type P. aeruginosa, but not a pilJ pilus-deficient mutant, showed biased movement up gradients of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) established in agar. Activity was related to the fatty acid composition of the lipid, as two synthetic PE species, dilauroyl and dioleoyl PE, were capable of directing P. aeruginosa motility while many other species were inactive. P. aeruginosa PE did not contain either laurate or oleate, implying that the native attractant species contains different fatty acids. Uniform concentrations of PE increased cell velocity, suggesting that chemokinesis may be at least partly responsible for directed movement. We speculate that PE-directed twitching motility may be involved in biofilm formation and pathogenesis.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology, 527 Biological Sciences Building, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602. Phone: (706) 542-2681. Fax: (706) 542-2674. E-mail: shimkets{at}arches.uga.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, January 2001, p. 763-767, Vol. 183, No. 2
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.2.763-767.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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