Peer pressure from a Proteus mirabilis self-recognition system controls participation in cooperative swarm motility
Fig 6
A model for Ids-mediated territorial exclusion.
Top: IdsD is exchanged between motile, elongated swarmer cells. Transfer from a wildtype cell (cyan) to a Δids cell (gray) is shown. Middle, wild-type cells expressing a cognate IdsE do not experience any effects from incoming IdsD and progress normally through consolidation phase, forming new swarmer cells. The Δids cells without a cognate IdsE (gray) continue to swarm normally after IdsD transfer until entry into consolidation phase. Bottom, upon differentiation into consolidation phase, unbound IdsD induces elevated ppGpp levels and profound transcriptional changes, resulting in a growth-arrested state incompatible with differentiation into new swarmer cells. The resultant phenotype exhibits secondary effects including increased antibiotic tolerance.