Cellular Stoichiometry of Chemotaxis Proteins in .

Chemotaxis systems enable microbes to sense their immediate environment, moving toward beneficial stimuli and away from those that are harmful. In an effort to better understand the chemotaxis system of , a symbiont of the legume alfalfa, the cellular stoichiometries of all ten chemotaxis proteins in were determined. A combination of quantitative immunoblot and mass spectrometry revealed that the protein stoichiometries in varied greatly from those in and To compare protein ratios to other systems, values were normalized to the central kinase CheA.

The type IV pilus assembly ATPase PilB functions as a signaling protein to regulate exopolysaccharide production in Myxococcus xanthus.

Myxococcus xanthus possesses a form of surface motility powered by the retraction of the type IV pilus (T4P). Additionally, exopolysaccharide (EPS), the major constituent of bacterial biofilms, is required for this T4P-mediated motility in M. xanthus as the putative trigger of T4P retraction.

Sinorhizobium meliloti chemotaxis to quaternary ammonium compounds is mediated by the chemoreceptor McpX.

The bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti is attracted to seed exudates of its host plant alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Since quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are exuded by germinating seeds, we assayed chemotaxis of S. meliloti towards betonicine, choline, glycine betaine, stachydrine and trigonelline.

Transfer of Pathogens from Cantaloupe Rind to Preparation Surfaces and Edible Tissue as a Function of Cutting Method.

Whole and cut cantaloupes have been implicated as vehicles in foodborne illness outbreaks of norovirus, salmonellosis, and listeriosis. Preparation methods that minimize pathogen transfer from external surfaces to the edible tissue are needed. Two preparation methods were compared for the transfer of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2, murine norovirus, and Tulane virus from inoculated cantaloupe rinds to edible tissue and preparation surfaces.