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Title: Exopolysaccharide microchannels direct bacterial motility and organize multicellular behavior

Journal Article · · The ISME Journal
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [2];  [4];  [2];  [6];  [2];  [4];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); St. Mary's College, Moraga, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Shandong Univ., Jinan (China)
  4. Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  5. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); St. Mary's College, Moraga, CA (United States)
  6. FEI, Inc., Hillsboro, OR (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

The myxobacteria are a family of soil bacteria that form biofilms of complex architecture, aligned multilayered swarms or fruiting body structures that are simple or branched aggregates containing myxospores. Here, we examined the structural role of matrix exopolysaccharide (EPS) in the organization of these surface-dwelling bacterial cells. Using time-lapse light and fluorescence microscopy, as well as transmission electron microscopy and focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM) electron microscopy, we found that Myxococcus xanthus cell organization in biofilms is dependent on the formation of EPS microchannels. Cells are highly organized within the three-dimensional structure of EPS microchannels that are required for cell alignment and advancement on surfaces. Mutants lacking EPS showed a lack of cell orientation and poor colony migration. Purified, cell-free EPS retains a channel-like structure, and can complement EPS - mutant motility defects. In addition, EPS provides the cooperative structure for fruiting body formation in both the simple mounds of M. xanthus and the complex, tree-like structures of Chondromyces crocatus. We furthermore investigated the possibility that EPS impacts community structure as a shared resource facilitating cooperative migration among closely related isolates of M. xanthus.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1377561
Journal Information:
The ISME Journal, Vol. 10, Issue 11; ISSN 1751-7362
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 30 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (10)

Two genomic regions encoding exopolysaccharide production systems have complementary functions in B. cereus multicellularity and host interaction journal January 2020
Exopolysaccharide protects Vibrio cholerae from exogenous attacks by the type 6 secretion system journal July 2018
Biophysical processes supporting the diversity of microbial life in soil journal August 2017
Agent-Based Modeling Reveals Possible Mechanisms for Observed Aggregation Cell Behaviors in Myxococcus xanthus posted_content May 2018
Exopolysaccharides promote Myxococcus xanthus social motility by inhibiting cellular reversals: EPS regulates cellular reversals in myxobacteria journal December 2016
Spatial Organization Plasticity as an Adaptive Driver of Surface Microbial Communities journal July 2017
Geometrical Distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans Mediates Flower-Like Biofilm Development journal December 2017
Cryptococcal Traits Mediating Adherence to Biotic and Abiotic Surfaces journal July 2018
Biophysical processes supporting the diversity of microbial life in soil text January 2017
Polymertropism of rod-shaped bacteria: movement along aligned polysaccharide fibers journal August 2017

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