Transcriptome dynamics of the <i>Myxococcus xanthus</i> multicellular developmental program.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31609203.
- Also identified by DOI 10.7554/eLife.50374 and PMC identifier 6791715.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The bacterium <i>Myxococcus xanthus</i> exhibits a complex multicellular life cycle. In the presence of nutrients, cells prey cooperatively. Upon starvation, they enter a developmental cycle wherein cells aggregate to produce macroscopic fruiting bodies filled with resistant myxospores. We used RNA-Seq technology to examine the transcriptome of the 96 hr developmental program. These data revealed that 1415 genes were sequentially expressed in 10 discrete modules, with expression peaking during aggregation, in the transition from aggregation to sporulation, or during sporulation. Analysis of genes expressed at each specific time point provided insights as to how starving cells obtain energy and precursors necessary for assembly of fruiting bodies and into developmental production of secondary metabolites. This study offers the first global view of developmental transcriptional profiles and provides important tools and resources for future studies.
Medical subject headings
- Bacterial Proteins
- Myxococcus xanthus
- Transcriptome