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Mutations in Type I and Type IV Pilus Biosynthetic Genes Affect Twitching Motility Rates in Xylella fastidiosa ^,

Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University—New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York

Received 13 June 2007/ Accepted 26 July 2007

Xylella fastidiosa possesses both type I and type IV pili at the same cell pole. By use of a microfluidic device, the speed of twitching movement by wild-type cells on a glass surface against the flow direction of media was measured as 0.86 (standard error [SE], 0.04) µm min^–1. A type I pilus mutant (fimA) moved six times faster (4.85 [SE, 0.27] µm min^–1) and a pilY1 mutant moved three times slower (0.28 [SE, 0.03] µm min^–1) than wild-type cells. Type I pili slow the rate of movement, while the putative type IV pilus protein PilY1 is likely important for attachment to surfaces.

Published ahead of print on 10 August 2007.

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