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Updated: May 9, 2026
Fluorescence Live-cell Imaging of the Complete Vegetative Cell Cycle of the Slow-growing Social Bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
Published on: June 20, 2018
Direct live imaging of cell-cell protein transfer by transient outer membrane fusion in Myxococcus xanthus
Adrien Ducret1, Betty Fleuchot, Ptissam Bergam
1Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne , Aix Marseille University-CNRS UMR7283 , Marseille , France.
Abstract:
In bacteria, multicellular behaviors are regulated by cell-cell signaling through the exchange of both diffusible and contact-dependent signals. In a multicellular context, Myxococcus cells can share outer membrane (OM) materials by an unknown mechanism involving the traAB genes and gliding motility. Using live imaging, we show for the first time that transient contacts between two cells are sufficient to transfer OM materials, proteins and lipids, at high efficiency. Transfer was associated with the formation of dynamic OM tubes, strongly suggesting that transfer results from the local fusion of the OMs of two transferring cells. Last, large amounts of OM materials were released in slime trails deposited by gliding cells. Since cells tend to follow trails laid by other cells, slime-driven OM material exchange may be an important stigmergic regulation of Myxococcus social behaviors. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00868.001.
Insights
Myxococcus bacteria share outer membrane materials via transient cell contacts and slime trails. This cell-cell outer membrane material exchange is crucial for regulating their social behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial cell biology
- Social behavior in bacteria
Background:
- Multicellular bacterial behaviors rely on cell-cell communication via diffusible and contact-dependent signals.
- Myxococcus bacteria exhibit outer membrane (OM) material sharing, a process involving traAB genes and gliding motility, but the mechanism remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanism of outer membrane material transfer between Myxococcus cells.
- To investigate the role of cell contacts and gliding motility in OM material exchange.
Main Methods:
- Live imaging microscopy to observe cell-cell interactions and material transfer.
- Analysis of outer membrane protein and lipid transfer dynamics.
Main Results:
- Transient cell-to-cell contacts efficiently transfer outer membrane materials, including proteins and lipids.
- Outer membrane material transfer is associated with the formation of dynamic OM tubes, suggesting local OM fusion.
- Gliding Myxococcus cells release significant amounts of OM materials into slime trails.
Conclusions:
- Cell-cell contact-mediated OM fusion is a primary mechanism for material exchange in Myxococcus.
- Slime trail-mediated OM material exchange represents a form of stigmergic regulation influencing social behaviors.
- Understanding OM exchange mechanisms provides insights into bacterial multicellularity and communication.
