Swarmer Cell Development of the Bacterium Proteus mirabilis Requires the Conserved Enterobacterial Common Antigen Biosynthesis Gene rffG

Individual cells of the bacterium Proteus mirabilis can elongate up to 40- fold on surfaces before engaging in a cooperative surface-based motility termed swarming. How cells regulate this dramatic morphological remodeling remains an open question. In this paper, we move forward the understanding of this regulation by demonstrating that P. mirabilis requires the gene rffG for swarmer cell elongation and subsequent swarm motility. Examination of transcriptome of ∆rffG mutant compared to wildtype