Articles of Significant Interest in This Issue

Abstract

Exopolysaccharide (EPS), a secreted polysaccharide, has important functions in the social life cycle of Myxococcus xanthus. Most insights into the function of EPS have been obtained from analyses of regulatory mutants with altered EPS accumulation. Pérez-Burgos et al. (e00335-20) show that the EPS biosynthetic machinery makes up a Wzx/Wzy-dependent pathway for polysaccharide biosynthesis and export. Mutants of this pathway have not only reduced EPS synthesis but also reduced type IV pilus-dependent motility and a conditional defect in development. Surprisingly, the defect in type IV pilus-dependent motility could be traced down to a defect in type IV pilus extension.