GENETICS OF GLIDING MOTILITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN MYXOCOCCUS-XANTHUS

Successful development in multicellular eukaryotes requires cell-cell communication and the coordinated spatial and temporal movements of ce lls. The complex array of networks required to bring eukaryotic develo pment to fruition can be modeled by the development of the simpler pro karyote Myxococcus xanthus. As part of its life cycle, M. xanthus form s multicellular fruiting bodies containing differentiated cells. Analy sis of the genes essential for M. xanthus development is possible beca use strains with mutations that block development can be maintained in the vegetative state. Development in M. xanthus is induced by starvat ion, and early events in development suggest that signaling stages hav e evolved to monitor the metabolic state of the developing cell. In th e absence of these signals, which include amino acids, alpha-keto acid s, and other intermediary metabolites, the ability of cells to differe ntiate into myxospores is impaired. Mutations that block genes control ling gliding motility disrupt the morphogenesis of fruiting bodies and sporogenesis in surprising ways. In this review, we present data that encourage future genetic and biochemical studies of the relationships between motility, cell-cell signaling, and development in M. xanthus.