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Recording Multicellular Behavior in Myxococcus xanthus Biofilms using Time-lapse Microcinematography
Published on: August 7, 2010
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Rippling is a predatory behavior in Myxococcus xanthus.
James E Berleman1, Tatiana Chumley, Patricia Cheung
1School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
Journal of Bacteriology
|August 4, 2006
Summary
Myxococcus xanthus rippling, a coordinated cell movement, is a feeding behavior triggered by contact with prey or large molecules. This behavior aids in consuming nutrients and scavenging cellular debris.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Cell Biology
- Bacterial Behavior
Background:
- Myxococcus xanthus exhibits coordinated multicellular movement forming macroscopic traveling waves called ripples.
- The ecological and physiological purpose of rippling behavior has remained largely unexplained.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the function of rippling behavior in Myxococcus xanthus.
- To investigate the environmental triggers and conditions that induce rippling.
Main Methods:
- Observation of Myxococcus xanthus under starvation and predatory conditions.
- Analysis of rippling behavior in response to various prey, macromolecules, and genetic/physiological modifications.
- Assessing predatory efficiency under inhibited rippling conditions.
Main Results:
- Rippling is a feeding behavior induced by direct contact with prey (bacteria, yeast, phage) or large macromolecules (peptidoglycan, protein, nucleic acid).
- Developmental rippling during starvation is strain-dependent and linked to autolysis levels, suggesting scavenging of lysed cell debris.
- Predatory efficiency is reduced when rippling is inhibited, highlighting its importance in nutrient acquisition.
Conclusions:
- Rippling is a specialized feeding mechanism for consuming non-diffusing substrates.
- The behavior facilitates efficient nutrient uptake from both external prey and internal cellular debris.
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