Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 7, 2026
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
10.1K
An Evo-Devo Perspective on Multicellular Development of Myxobacteria
Juan A Arias Del Angel1,2,3, Ana E Escalante1, León Patricio Martínez-Castilla4,2
1Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad (LANCIS), Instituto de Ecologiía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Summary
Myxobacteria offer a unique model for studying the evolution of multicellularity. Their development, particularly fruiting body formation, provides insights into generic mechanisms and lineage-specific adaptations in multicellular life.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Developmental Biology (Evo-Devo)
- Microbial Ecology
- Genomics
Background:
- Multicellularity is a major evolutionary transition, arising independently multiple times.
- Most studies focus on zygotic organisms; aggregative multicellular models are less explored.
- Myxobacteria, a group of aggregative multicellular bacteria, exhibit diverse fruiting body development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize evidence on myxobacterial development within an Evo-Devo framework.
- To explore how aggregation influences multicellularity evolution.
- To identify shared mechanisms and lineage-specific aspects of multicellular evolution.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of diverse lines of evidence on myxobacterial development.
- Comparative analysis of genes involved in myxobacterial developmental processes.
- Discussion through the lens of Evo-Devo concepts: co-option and developmental system drift.
Main Results:
- Myxobacteria serve as a valuable model for studying aggregation-based multicellularity.
- Comparative gene analysis reveals insights into developmental pathways.
- Evo-Devo concepts help interpret myxobacterial development and evolution.
Conclusions:
- Integrating genetic, physicochemical, and environmental factors is crucial for understanding myxobacterial development.
- Broad comparative studies enhance insights into phenotypic variation and evolution.
- Myxobacteria provide a unique system for exploring fundamental principles of multicellular evolution.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Microbial Morphologies
4.6K
Bacterial and archaeal cells exhibit remarkable diversity in shape and structure, critical in their adaptability and functionality. Among bacteria, the most commonly observed shapes include cocci and bacilli. Cocci are spherical and may exist singly or in groupings such as pairs (diplococci), chains (streptococci), clusters (staphylococci), or tetrads. Bacilli, in contrast, are rod-shaped and can also occur as single cells, in pairs, or chains, depending on their environmental and genetic...
4.6K
01:13Formation of Muscle Fibers from Myoblasts
6.3K
De novo myogenesis, or the formation of muscle fibers, begins during the early embryonic stages. The skeletal muscle is formed from somites– blocks of embryonic cell layers. The somites are further divided into dermatomes, myotomes, sclerotomes, and syndetomes. Among these, the myotomes give rise to muscle fibers.
Muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) are formed from the myotomes. MPCs express genes that encode the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7. Along with Pax 3/7, other transcription...
Muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) are formed from the myotomes. MPCs express genes that encode the transcription factors Pax3 and Pax7. Along with Pax 3/7, other transcription...
6.3K
01:24Eukaryotic Evolution
43.0K
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
43.0K
01:16Cell Motility through Blebbing
2.6K
Blebs are a type of membrane protrusion formed by the internal hydrostatic pressure of the cytoplasm. Blebs are observed in several cell types, including fibroblasts, immune cells, and single-celled organisms like the amoeba. The primary function of blebs is cell locomotion and apoptosis, but they are also found during necrosis and cell division. The life cycle of a bleb comprises an initiation phase followed by the expansion and retraction phases.
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
Blebbing Through the Matrix
In multicellular...
2.6K
01:29Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria
4.4K
Bacterial cells were initially considered simple, randomly organized structures lacking a cytoskeleton. However, the discovery of cytoskeleton homologs in bacteria led to the change of this opinion. Bacterial cytoskeletal filaments regulate the cell shape, cell polarity, cell division, and partitioning of plasmids during cell division. It was later discovered that bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, mainly actin and tubulin homologs, are diverse compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. On the...
4.4K
01:26Bacterial Phylum Planctomycetes
512
Planctomycetes are a group of morphologically distinct bacteria predominantly classified into two orders: Planctomycetales and Brocadiales. These gram-negative bacteria exhibit unique features, including division by budding and the presence of stalks or appendages. Their cells are often found in rosette arrangements, and they are notable for possessing an S-layer in their cell envelope, which is relatively uncommon among bacteria. Additionally, Planctomycetes frequently exhibit intracellular...
512