Project description:Bacteria of the phylum Planctomycetes have been postulated to be the ‘missing link’ between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although phylogenetically the Planctomycetes were grouped into Gram-negative bacteria, it has been reported that they have no outer membrane. Here we present 1D-gel-LC/MS/MS based proteomics data of Planctopirus limnophila membraneswhich in combination with super resolution light microscopy, cryo electron tomography and bioinformatics suggest an altered Gram-negative cell plan for Planctopirus limnophila.
Project description:Gene content comparison of control C.j. strain 11168 which colonizes and causes disease in a murine model versus strain NW which colonizes but does not elicit disease symptomology in the mouse model. Keywords: DNA/DNA comparison
Project description:Planctopirus limnophila belongs to the bacterial phylum Planctomycetes, a relatively understudied lineage with remarkable cell biology features. Here, we report a genome-wide analysis of essential gene content in P. limnophila. We show that certain genes involved in peptidoglycan synthesis or cell division, which are essential in most other studied bacteria, are not essential for growth under laboratory conditions in this species. We identify essential genes likely involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, consistent with the view of Planctomycetes as diderm bacteria, and highlight other essential genes of unknown functions. Furthermore, we explore potential stages of evolution of the essential gene repertoire in Planctomycetes and the related phyla Verrucomicrobia and Chlamydiae. Our results provide insights into the divergent molecular and cellular biology of Planctomycetes.