Myxococcus xanthus: Difference between revisions

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==Description and significance==
[[Image:m-xanthus-bacteria.jpg]]
''M. xanthus'' gliding mechanism during predation
<ref> reference here </ref>
'''''Myxococcus xanthus''''' is a social organism, which are self-organized, saprotrophic and predatory. ''M. xanthus'' is a rod shaped, gram negative bacteria, which uses a form of gliding for locomotion. There's been recent discovery of two types of systems
used for locomotion. The first system is type IV pilli, which is used as a type of hook. The second system is mucus secreting, which tend to form sites of focal adhesion. During starvation periods this bacteria has been discovered to use a form of chemotaxis
signaling in order to produce and regulate multi-cellular rippling during predation. Predation takes place a multi-cellular synchronizing mechanism. The ability for this bacteria to communicate with others and be able to work together towards the targeted
prey, makes it a good candidate for research.  ''M. xanthus'' tends to form fruiting bodies. Within these fruiting bodies there are spores. These spores will germinate in order to return to a vegetative cycle as soon as conditions are favorable. ''M.xanthus'' is a
predator to other bacteria, but harmless to humans.
==Genome structure==
''M.xanthus'' is one of the largest prokaryotic genomes to be sequenced. Length of genome is 9,139,763 nt. Number of genes: 7456, Protein coding genes: 7331, Structural RNAs: 79, Pseudo genes:43, Topology: circular.
==Cell structure and metabolism==
[[Image:120px-Myxococcus_xanthus.png]]
''M. xanthus'' has a life cycle which includes; predation, fruit bodies and swarming. Fruit bodies usually form from the cause of starvation, these bodies can then form into stress-resistant spores.
==Ecology==
''M. xanthus'' is commonly found in soil. This bacteria lives in a multi-cellular unit.
==Pathology==
This bacteria is a predator of other bacteria, but non pathogenic. The fact that ''M. xanthus'' moves by chemotaxis and usually moves towards a prey resulted in the word "predataxis". ''M. xanthus'' is not a single unit when attacking a prey, rather there is a sense of cooperation. Predation of ''M. xanthus'' includes release of toxic and lytic substances. These substances can degrade or paralyze the targeted prey.
==Application to biotechnology==
The unique feature of ''M.xanthus'' being predatory towards other bacteria, is of great use for studies. This feature has been hypothesis to be utilized in order to predate for other harmful bacteria. Many of the secondary metabolites secreted by ''M. xanthus'' are utilized to lyse other soil microbes. One of the many purposes these secondary metabolites serves is the ability to target pathogenic fungi in plants.
==Current research==
==Current research==


'''"Identification of Additional Players in the Alternative Biosynthesis Pathway to Isovaleryl-CoA in the Myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus Helge B. Bode,[a] Michael W. Ring,[a] Gertrud Schw
'''"Identification of Additional Players in the Alternative Biosynthesis Pathway to Isovaleryl-CoA in the Myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus Helge B. Bode,[a] Michael W. Ring,[a] Gertrud Schw
==References==
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxococcus_xanthus>
<http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Mycoccus_xanthus>
<Genetic circuitry controlling motility behaviors of Myxococcus xanthus, Taˆ m Mignot1* and John R. Kirby2 >
<The social lifestyle of myxobacteria, Arthur L. Koch* and David White >
<http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/CCOM/news/video-predataxis/>
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/science/04obswarm.html?_r=1>
<Site-specific receptor methylation of FrzCD in Myxococcus xanthus is controlled by a tetra-trico peptide repeat (TPR) containing regulatory domain of the FrzF methyltransferase, Ansley E. Scott, Eric Simon, Samuel K. Park, Philip Andrews2 and David R. Zusman1*>
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=genome&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=250>
<http://www.bio.indiana.edu/facultyresearch/faculty/Velicer.html>
[[Category:CZ Live]]
[[Category:Stub Articles]]
[[Category:Needs Workgroup]]

Revision as of 08:52, 22 April 2009

Current research

"Identification of Additional Players in the Alternative Biosynthesis Pathway to Isovaleryl-CoA in the Myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus Helge B. Bode,[a] Michael W. Ring,[a] Gertrud Schw

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