Localization of myxobacterial hemagglutinin in the periplasmic space and on the cell surface of Myxococcus xanthus during developmental aggregation.

During the period of developmental aggregation which precedes fruiting body formation, the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus produces a large amount of a lectin called myxobacterial hemagglutinin (MBHA). Sequential cell washing, osmotic shock, and disruption of developmental cells showed that as much as 90% of the total hemagglutinating activity can be recovered in the wash and shock fractions. Analysis of the wash and shock fluids by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that these fractions are enriched in MBHA. MBHA was detected on the surface of developmental cells but not vegetative cells by immunofluorescent staining procedures. The fluorescence was localized in distinct patches which were usually located at one or both of the cell poles, although patches of fluorescence could also be seen at additional sites as well. The presence of MBHA on the cell surface was also detected by electron microscopy of developmental cells stained with ferritin-conjugated antibody. Most of the cells showed distinct patches of ferritin staining at one or both of the cell poles; nonpolar staining, which was also observed, was always accompanied by membrane protuberances. The amino acid sequence of the NH2 terminus of MBHA was determined and found to be extremely hydrophobic, suggesting that it may function as a nonprocessed signal for transmembrane transport. The site-specific localization of MBHA at the cell poles suggests that it may function in end-to-end cellular interactions during aggregation.