A5076629790- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Plant and animal studies
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Slime Mold and Myxomycetes Research
- Gut microbiota and health
- Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Digital Economy and Work Transformation
- Taxation and Compliance Studies
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Aging, Elder Care, and Social Issues
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
ETH Zurich
2016-2025
Indiana University Bloomington
2010-2024
Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology
2002-2015
Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology
2014
Indiana University
2008-2012
University of California, Irvine
2011
Michigan State University
1998-2011
Max Planck Society
2005
The genus Sorangium synthesizes approximately half of the secondary metabolites isolated from myxobacteria, including anti-cancer metabolite epothilone. We report complete genome sequence model strain S. cellulosum So ce56, which produces several natural products and has morphological physiological properties typical genus. circular genome, comprising 13,033,779 base pairs, is largest bacterial sequenced to date. No global synteny with Myxococcus xanthus apparent, revealing an unanticipated...
Precise characterization of the mutation histories evolutionary lineages is crucial for understanding process, yet identification has been constrained by traditional techniques. We sought to identify all accumulated mutations in an experimentally evolved lineage cooperative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, which constructs fruiting bodies a process social multicellular development response starvation. This had undergone two major transitions phenotype: from ancestral cooperator socially...
ABSTRACT As a monophyletic group, the myxobacteria are known to produce broad spectrum of secondary metabolites. However, degree metabolic diversity that can be found within single species remains unexplored. The model Myxococcus xanthus produces several metabolites also present in other myxobacterial species, but only one compound unique M. has been date. Here, we compare metabolite profiles 98 strains originate from 78 locations worldwide and include 20 centimeter-scale isolates location....
Predator-prey relationships among prokaryotes have received little attention but are likely to be important determinants of the composition, structure, and dynamics microbial communities. Many species soil-dwelling myxobacteria predators other microbes, their predation range is poorly characterized. To better understand predatory capabilities in nature, we analyzed performance numerous Myxococcus isolates across 12 diverse bacteria. All predator could utilize most potential prey effectively...
Significance Relatedness-dependent behavior modification is common among social organisms and has been a major feature of evolution theory for decades. However, the evolutionary causes kin discrimination are often unclear. Here, we document many spontaneous origins in microbe that appear to arise as indirect byproducts adaptation at other traits show evolves by diverse genetic mechanisms.
Abstract Generalist bacterial predators are likely to strongly shape many important ecological and evolutionary features of microbial communities, for example by altering the character pace molecular evolution, but investigations such effects scarce. Here we report how predator-prey interactions alter evolution fitness, genomes phenotypic diversity in coevolving communities composed Myxococcus xanthus as predator Escherichia coli prey, relative single-species controls. We show evidence...
Ecological variation influences the character of many biotic interactions, but examples predator–prey reversal mediated by abiotic context are few. We show that temperature at which prey grow before interacting with a bacterial predator can determine very direction predation, reversing and identities. While Pseudomonas fluorescens reared 32°C was extensively killed generalist Myxococcus xanthus , P . 22°C became predator, slaughtering M to extinction growing on its remains. Beyond diffusible...
Social behaviors are often targets of natural selection among higher organisms, but quantifying the effects such is difficult. We have used bacterium Myxococcus xanthus as a model system for studying evolution social interactions. Changes in 12 M. populations were quantified after 1,000 generations liquid habitat, which interactions individuals continually hindered by shaking and low cell densities. Derived lineages compared with their ancestors respect to maximum growth rate, motility rates...
Social organisms that cooperate with some members of their own species, such as close relatives, may fail to other genotypes the same species. Such noncooperation take form outright antagonism or social exploitation. Myxococcus xanthus is a highly prokaryote cooperatively develops into spore-bearing, multicellular fruiting bodies in response starvation. Here we have characterized nature interactions among nine developmentally proficient strains M. isolated from spatially distant locations....
Cooperative biological systems are susceptible to disruption by cheating. Using the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus, we have tested short-term competitive fates of mixed cheater and wild-type strains over multiple cycles cooperative development. Cheater/wild-type mixes underwent several starvation-induced multicellular development followed spore germination vegetative population growth. The sizes in each pairwise mixture were measured at end developmental phase growth phase. Cheater...
Swarming in parallel toward sociality The evolution of social behavior, and specifically multicellularity, is poorly understood. An experimental model for multicellularity the myxobacteria, which swarm cooperate to form fruiting bodies soil. Wielgoss et al. studied lineages wild-caught myxobacteria. They found diversity, but also surprising genetic similarity, within that was unlikely be based on shared ancestry between them. Instead, reoccurrence same mutations seems have occurred...
Myxococcus xanthus is a gram-negative soil bacterium best known for its remarkable life history of social swarming, predation, and multicellular fruiting body formation. Very little about genetic diversity within this species or how strategies might vary among neighboring strains at small spatial scales. To investigate the small-scale population structure M. xanthus, 78 clones were isolated from patch (16 by 16 cm) in Tübingen, Germany. Among these isolates, 21 genotypes could be...
Cooperative organisms evolve within socially diverse populations. In populations harboring both cooperators and cheaters, might adapt by evolving novel interactions with either social type or both. Diverse animal traits suppress selfish behaviors when cooperation is important for fitness, but the potential prokaryotes to such unclear. We allowed a strain of bacterium Myxococcus xanthus that proficient at cooperative fruiting body development while repeatedly encountering non-evolving...
The bacterium Myxococcus xanthus glides through soil in search of prey microbes, but when food sources run out, cells cooperatively construct and sporulate within multicellular fruiting bodies. M. strains isolated from a 16 × 16-cm-scale patch were previously shown to have diversified into many distinct compatibility types that are distinguished by the failure swarming colonies merge upon encounter. We sequenced genomes 22 isolates this population belonging two most frequently occurring...
The spatial structure of genetic diversity underlying social variation is a critical determinant how cooperation and conflict evolve. Here we investigated whether natural groups the cooperative soil bacterium Myxococcus xanthus harbor internal phenotypic thus potential for between interacting cells. Ten M. fruiting bodies isolated from were surveyed in multiple phenotypes loci, patterns within across body examined. Eight 10 found to be internally diverse, with four exhibiting significant...