Internal structure of Mycoplasma mobile gliding machinery analyzed by negative staining electron tomography

Abstract

Mycoplasma mobile is a parasitic bacterium that forms gliding machinery on the cell pole and glides on a solid surface in the direction of the cell pole. The gliding machinery consists of both internal and surface structures. The internal structure is divided into a bell at the front and chain structure extending from the bell. In this study, the internal structures prepared under several conditions were analyzed using negative-staining electron microscopy and electron tomography. The chains were constructed by linked motors containing two complexes similar to ATP synthase. A cylindrical spacer with a maximum diameter of 6 nm and a height of 13 nm, and anonymous linkers with a diameter of 0.9–8.3 nm and length of 14.7±6.9 nm were found between motors. The bell is bowl-shaped and features a honeycomb surface with a periodicity of 8.4 nm. The chains of the motor are connected to the rim of the bell through a wedge-shaped structure. These structures may play roles in the assembly and cooperation of gliding machinery units.