Cell behaviors underlying Myxococcus xanthus aggregate dispersal.
mSystems
; 8(5): e0042523, 2023 Oct 26.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37747885
ABSTRACT
IMPORTANCE Understanding the processes behind bacterial biofilm formation, maintenance, and dispersal is essential for addressing their effects on health and ecology. Within these multicellular communities, various cues can trigger differentiation into distinct cell types, allowing cells to adapt to their specific local environment. The soil bacterium Myxococcus xanthus forms biofilms in response to starvation, marked by cells aggregating into mounds. Some aggregates persist as spore-filled fruiting bodies, while others disperse after initial formation for unknown reasons. Here, we use a combination of cell tracking analysis and computational simulations to identify behaviors at the cellular level that contribute to aggregate dispersal. Our results suggest that cells in aggregates actively determine whether to disperse or persist and undergo a transition to sporulation based on a self-produced cue related to the aggregate size. Identifying these cues is an important step in understanding and potentially manipulating bacterial cell-fate decisions.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Esporos Bacterianos
/
Myxococcus xanthus
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
MSystems
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos