Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
11:45

Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

Published on: June 20, 2018

DNA replication during aggregation phase is essential for Myxococcus xanthus development

Linfong Tzeng1, Terri N Ellis, Mitchell Singer

  • 1Section of Microbiology, Center for Genetics and Development, University of California-Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA.

Journal of Bacteriology
|April 6, 2006
PubMed

Insights

DNA replication during Myxococcus xanthus development is essential for progression. Inhibiting DNA replication during aggregation halts development, indicating a checkpoint monitors chromosome integrity.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Myxococcus xanthus myxospores contain two replicated genomes, suggesting developmental control over DNA replication and cell division.
  • Understanding the timing and necessity of DNA replication during development is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the essentiality of chromosome replication for Myxococcus xanthus development.
  • To pinpoint the specific stage of the developmental cycle where DNA replication occurs.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing DNA replication inhibitors to disrupt the process in Myxococcus xanthus.
  • Observing the effects of replication inhibition on developmental progression.

Main Results:

  • DNA replication during the aggregation phase was found to be essential for successful development.
  • This suggests a critical checkpoint exists at the end of aggregation to ensure chromosome integrity.

Conclusions:

  • Chromosome replication is a required event during the aggregation phase of Myxococcus xanthus development.
  • A checkpoint likely monitors DNA replication and chromosome integrity before proceeding to later developmental stages.

More Related Videos

Visualization of UV-induced Replication Intermediates in E. coli using Two-dimensional Agarose-gel Analysis10:36

Visualization of UV-induced Replication Intermediates in E. coli using Two-dimensional Agarose-gel Analysis

Published on: December 21, 2010

Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique07:18

Visualization of DNA Replication in the Vertebrate Model System DT40 using the DNA Fiber Technique

Published on: October 27, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Replication in Prokaryotes01:32

Replication in Prokaryotes

DNA replication has three main steps: initiation, elongation, and termination. Replication in prokaryotes begins when initiator proteins bind to the single origin of replication (ori) on the cell's circular chromosome. Replication then proceeds around the entire circle of the chromosome in each direction from the two replication forks, resulting in two DNA molecules.
Many Proteins Work Together to Replicate the Chromosome
Replication is coordinated and carried out by a host of specialized...
Replication in Prokaryotes02:35

Replication in Prokaryotes

Overview
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...
S-Cdk Initiates DNA Replication02:38

S-Cdk Initiates DNA Replication

The cell cycle is a series of events leading to DNA duplication followed by the division of cell content to form two daughter cells. The cell cycle progresses in four stages—the cell increases in size (gap 1 or G1-phase), duplicates its DNA (synthesis or S-phase), prepares to divide (gap 2 or G2-phase), and divides (mitosis or M-phase).
Two states at the origin of replication
In eukaryotes, the initiation of replication occurs at many sites on the chromosomes, called the origins of replication.
Chromosome Replication02:31

Chromosome Replication

Before a cell can divide, it must accurately replicate all of its chromosomes, including the DNA and its associated histone and non-histone proteins.  This process begins at numerous origins of replication during the S phase of the cell cycle in each of a cell’s chromosomes simultaneously. Certain nucleotides can act as origins of replication, but these sequences are not well defined - especially in complex, multi-cellular, eukaryotic species. The length of DNA that spans an origin of...
Replication in Eukaryotes01:29

Replication in Eukaryotes

In eukaryotic cells, DNA replication is highly conserved and tightly regulated. Multiple linear chromosomes must be duplicated with high fidelity before cell division, so there are many proteins that fulfill specialized roles in the replication process. Replication occurs in three phases: initiation, elongation, and termination, and ends with two complete sets of chromosomes in the nucleus.
Many Proteins Orchestrate Replication at the Origin
Eukaryotic replication follows many of the same...