The ecology of the myxobacteria

Abstract

What are myxobacteria?Myxobacteria are Gram-negative eubacteria with relatively large (0.6-1.2 by 3-15 m) rod-shaped cells. They live in soil and related habitats and are famous for three capabilities: (i) they move by gliding and their colonies are therefore thin, film-like swarms that spread gradually over the culture plate; (ii) they have sophisticated intercellular communication systems and a highly developed social life; and (iii) they show a remarkable morphogenetic potential, which is expressed on two levels. In a co-operative morphogenesis involving 10 5 -10 6 cells, induced by starvation conditions, they may produce a fruiting body. Within the maturing fruiting body, a cellular morphogenesis takes place, during which the vegetative cells convert into desiccation-resistant myxospores. It might also be mentioned that myxobacteria have the largest genomes of all bacteria (9500-10 000 kbp) and a DNA with a G þ C content of 66-72 mol%. Details can be found in several reviews (Reichenbach and

Biogeography and phylogenetic diversity of a cluster of exclusively marine myxobacteria

“…Strains of both groups sporadically isolated from marine habitats were thought not to be indigenous but introduced from terrestrial habitats (Zobell and Upham, 1944;Goodfellow and Haynes, 1984;Reichenbach, 1999;Dawid, 2000). Today, it is widely accepted that distinct marine clusters of Gram-positive bacteria exist, which are only distantly related to clusters comprising also Gram-positive bacteria from freshwater and soil (for example, Rappé et al, 1999;Mincer et al, 2002).…”

“…Historically and until recently, soil, dung and plant detritus were considered as the typical environments of these organisms (Dawid, 2000). Myxobacteria have been isolated also from limnetic habitats; however, they were considered as being washed in from the terrestrial surroundings and not as indigenous limnetic organisms (Reichenbach, 1999).…”

Species specificity of symbiosis and secondary metabolism in ascidians

“…TB3 were 22% Myxococcales (Supplementary Figure S2A). Myxobacteria have rarely been found in marine habitats (Reichenbach, 1999). Myxobacteria are prolific producers of natural products, and the first marine obligate halophilic myxobacteria-derived natural products were only reported very recently (Felder et al, 2013).…”

Hdsp, a horizontally transferred gene required for social behavior and halotolerance in salt-tolerant Myxococcus fulvus HW-1

“…When food is exhausted, hundreds of thousands of myxobacterial cells accumulate on solid surfaces to form multicellular fruiting bodies, inside which myxospores that are resistant to adverse conditions develop. Using specific identification techniques on the basis of their social characteristics, such as the ability to form fruiting bodies and characteristic swarms, myxobacterial strains have been identified in various terrestrial habits (Reichenbach, 1999;Dawid, 2000). These cultured soil myxobacterial strains are normally unable to grow in a high-salt environment (Reichenbach, 1999;Li et al, 2002).…”

“…Using specific identification techniques on the basis of their social characteristics, such as the ability to form fruiting bodies and characteristic swarms, myxobacterial strains have been identified in various terrestrial habits (Reichenbach, 1999;Dawid, 2000). These cultured soil myxobacterial strains are normally unable to grow in a high-salt environment (Reichenbach, 1999;Li et al, 2002). Furthermore, when placed in liquid, soil myxobacterial cells typically grow in clumps or by adhering to the container walls.…”