Recent advances in the social and developmental biology of the myxobacteria.

Dworkin, Martin

doi:10.1128/mmbr.60.1.70-102.1996

Cited by 230 publications

(137 citation statements)

References 202 publications

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“…In strain KL28 minimally metabolically active ultramicrocells but not spores were protected in aging aerial structures by a thick, wire net-like ECM ( Fig. 3C-1, Figs S7 and S8) analogous to stalks of Dictyostelium discoideum (Kaiser, 2001) and myxobacterial fruiting bodies (Dworkin, 1996). The regularity of the ECM structure of strain KL28 (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Aerated fruiting bodies are the major formation sites for differential cells (spores) in filamentous bacteria and fungi (Brun and Shimkets, 2000), naturally isolated Bacillus (Branda et al, 2001), and unicellular myxobacteria (Dworkin, 1996), as the bodies protect spores from changing environments and allow their easy dispersion. In strain KL28 minimally metabolically active ultramicrocells but not spores were protected in aging aerial structures by a thick, wire net-like ECM ( Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Single cell bacteria can form aerial structures such as fruiting bodies wherein the existing cells gather and transition into special cell types; these bodies typically measure < 0.5 mm in height within a couple days. For instance, Myxobacteria form slime-covered hemispherical fruiting bodies when swarming cells face starvation (Dworkin, 1996), and Bacillus subtilis form bodies from colonies and pellicles (Branda et al, 2001). The process ends up with spores being contained in the fruiting bodies such as myxospores and endospores respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ultramicrocells form by reductive division in macroscopic Pseudomonas aerial structures

Lee¹,

Veeranagouda

2009

Environmental Microbiology

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Bacterial aerial growth with reductive cellular division and morphological development has not been reported from single-cell bacteria. Here we show that within 1 month of incubation in vaporized p-cresol, Pseudomonas sp. KL28 form shiny, highly branched specialized aerial structures of millimetre-scale diameter. The developmental process displayed spatially and temporally distinct stages; an initial sphere stage was followed by ramification, which led to highly branched tip formation. In this morphogenesis process, the extracellular matrix (ECM) played an important role for maintaining the integrity of sectional populations and the boundaries between adjacent sectors. In addition, cellular division, lysis and migration within the aerial structures were also accompanied. During prolonged incubation, clusters of short-rod cells covered by an outer layer of thick ECM underwent reductive transformation and then replicative reductive division to form oval ultramicrocells of < 0.4 microm in diameter. In addition, the aerial structures protected these rather fragile cells from desiccation and served as a selection pressure for wrinkly, spreading cell variants. The formation of aerial structures is affected positively and negatively by a GacA regulator and RpoS, respectively, and is linked to other phenotypes. Our results demonstrate that Pseudomonas has an ecological adaptation to form mushroom-like aerial structures, which can be a tool for studying cell-cell interactions and bacterial development.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ultramicrocells form by reductive division in macroscopic Pseudomonas aerial structures

Lee¹,

Veeranagouda

2009

Environmental Microbiology

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“…The heterogeneity of natural environments exhibiting strong spatio-temporal fluctuations normally prevents the formation of such highly symmetric patterns in nature. However, a remarkable exception is the complex process of fruiting body formation by Myxobacteria, which also relies on a ''chemotactic feedback'' mechanism [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex pattern formation of marine gradient bacteria explained by a simple computer model

Thar¹,

Kühl²

2005

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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We report on the formation of conspicuous patterns by the sulfide-oxidizing bacterium Thiovulum majus and a recently described vibrioid bacterium. These microaerophilic bacteria form mucus veils on top of sulfidic marine sediment exhibiting regular spaced bacterial patterns (honeycombs, interwoven bands, or inverse honeycombs). A simple qualitative computer model, based on chemotaxis towards oxygen and the ability of the bacteria to induce water advection when attached, can explain the formation of the observed patterns. Our study shows that complex bacterial patterns in nature can be explained in terms of chemotaxis and resource optimisation without involvement of cell-cell signalling or social behavior amongst bacteria.

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“…Recognition of a social dimension to the life of microbes began more than a decade ago (Shapiro and Dworkin 1997;Crespi 2001;Velicer 2003). Persuasive data indicate that behaviors such as collective "hunting" by Myxococcus (Dworkin 1996), cell death in stalks of Dictyostelium (Cornillon et al 1994), mat formation in Pseudomonas fluorescens (Rainey and Rainey 2003), and bacteriocin production in Escherichia coli (Chao and Levin 1981) are cooperative traits and their evolution attributable to benefits conferred on recipients. A large body of theory provides plausible evolutionary mechanisms (Sachs et al 2004).…”

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confidence: 99%

EXPLORING THE SOCIOBIOLOGY OF PYOVERDIN-PRODUCINGPSEUDOMONAS

2013

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The idea that bacteria are social is a popular concept with implications for understanding the ecology and evolution of microbes. The view arises predominately from reasoning regarding extracellular products, which, it has been argued, can be considered "public goods." Among the best studied is pyoverdin-a diffusible iron-chelating agent produced by bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas.Here we report the de novo evolution of pyoverdin nonproducing mutants, genetically characterize these types and then test the appropriateness of the sociobiology framework by performing growth and fitness assays in the same environment in which the nonproducing mutants evolved. Our data draw attention to discordance in the fit between social evolution theory and biological reality. We show that pyoverdin-defective genotypes can gain advantage by avoiding the cost of production under conditions where the molecule is not required; in some environments pyoverdin is personalized. By exploring the fitness consequences of nonproducing types under a range of conditions, we show complex genotype-by-environment interactions with outcomes that range from social to asocial. Together these findings give reason to question the generality of the conclusion that pyoverdin is a social trait.

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Recent advances in the social and developmental biology of the myxobacteria.

Cited by 230 publications

References 202 publications

Ultramicrocells form by reductive division in macroscopic Pseudomonas aerial structures

Ultramicrocells form by reductive division in macroscopic Pseudomonas aerial structures

Complex pattern formation of marine gradient bacteria explained by a simple computer model

EXPLORING THE SOCIOBIOLOGY OF PYOVERDIN-PRODUCINGPSEUDOMONAS

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