Fruiting-body formation and myxospore differentiation and germination in Mxyococcus xanthus viewed by scanning electron microscopy

Shimkets, Lawrence J.; Seale, Thomas W.

doi:10.1128/jb.121.2.711-720.1975

Cited by 26 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…It is interesting to speculate though, that MreB clearing might be a mechanism of ensuring a more coordinated outgrowth. It has been previously observed that germinating wild-type chemical-induced spores, but not starvation-induced spores, undergo mild shape deformations during out-growth (Shimkets and Seale, 1975), which are similar to, but not as dramatic as, we have observed with the elongating Dnfs or exoC mutants in this study. Perhaps, heterogeneous resumption of MreB polymerization leads to uncoordinated peptidoglycan insertion.…”

Section: Xanthus Rod-sphere Morphogenesissupporting

confidence: 88%

Spore formation in Myxococcus xanthus is tied to cytoskeleton functions and polysaccharide spore coat deposition

Müller

Schink

Hoiczyk

et al. 2011

Molecular Microbiology

111

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Summary Myxococcus xanthus is a Gram-negative bacterium that differentiates into environmentally resistant spores. Spore differentiation involves septation-independent remodelling of the rod-shaped vegetative cell into a spherical spore and deposition of a thick and compact spore coat outside of the outer membrane. Our analyses suggest that spore coat polysaccharides are exported to the cell surface by the Exo outer membrane polysaccharide export/polysaccharide co-polymerase 2a (OPX/PCP-2a) machinery. Conversion of the capsule-like polysaccharide layer into a compact spore coat layer requires the Nfs proteins which likely form a complex in the cell envelope. Mutants in either nfs, exo, or two other genetic loci encoding homologs of polysaccharide synthesis enzymes, fail to complete morphogenesis from rods to spherical spores and instead produce a transient state of deformed cell morphology before reversion into typical rods. We additionally provide evidence that the cell cytoskeletal protein, MreB, plays an important role in rod to spore morphogenesis and for spore outgrowth. These studies provide evidence that this novel gram-negative differentiation process is tied to cytoskeleton functions and polysaccharide spore coat deposition.

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Section: Xanthus Rod-sphere Morphogenesissupporting

confidence: 88%

Spore formation in Myxococcus xanthus is tied to cytoskeleton functions and polysaccharide spore coat deposition

Müller

Schink

Hoiczyk

et al. 2011

Molecular Microbiology

111

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“…Compared with flagellar motility, myxobacterial gliding is a relatively slow form of movement that requires a solid surface. Gliding cells often move in large, organized groups xanthus vegetative cell (237) (bar, 1 ,um). (B) Polyangium cellulosum vegetative cell (132) (bar, 1 ,um).…”

Section: Social and Developmental Behaviorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social and developmental biology of the myxobacteria.

Shimkets

1990

Microbiological Reviews

211

120

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“…GLYCEROL SPORE GENERATION M. xanthus sporulation can be induced rapidly (within 1 to 4 hr) during vegetative growth by the addition of a sub-lethal concentration of 0.5 M glycerol or other compounds that damage the cell wall (Dworkin and Sadler, 1966;O'Connor and Zusman, 1997). These spores, termed glycerol spores, are typically less hardy and have a thinner spore coat than fully developed myxospores (Kottel et al, 1975;Shimkets and Seale, 1975;Hartzell and White, 2001). Glycerol spores will begin forming in <1 hr and sporulation will be complete in 8 hr.…”

Section: Basic Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Myxococcus xanthus Growth, Development, and Isolation

Vaksman

Kaplan²

2015

CP Microbiology

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Myxobacteria are a highly social group among the delta proteobacteria that display unique multicellular behaviors during their complex life cycle and provide a rare opportunity to study the boundary between single cells and multicellularity. These organisms are also unusual as their entire life cycle is surface associated and includes a number of social behaviors: social gliding and rippling motility, ‘wolf‐pack’‐like predation, and self‐organizing complex biostructures, termed fruiting bodies, which are filled with differentiated environmentally resistant spores. Here we present methods for the growth, maintenance, and storage of Myxococcus xanthus, the most commonly studied of the myxobacteria. We also include methods to examine various developmental and social behaviors (fruiting body and spore formation, predation, and rippling motility). As the myxobacteria, similar to the streptomycetes, are excellent sources of many characterized and uncharacterized antibiotics and other natural products, we have provided a protocol for obtaining natural isolates from a variety of environmental sources. © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Fruiting-body formation and myxospore differentiation and germination in Mxyococcus xanthus viewed by scanning electron microscopy

Cited by 26 publications

References 22 publications

Spore formation in Myxococcus xanthus is tied to cytoskeleton functions and polysaccharide spore coat deposition

Spore formation in Myxococcus xanthus is tied to cytoskeleton functions and polysaccharide spore coat deposition

Social and developmental biology of the myxobacteria.

Myxococcus xanthus Growth, Development, and Isolation

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