Myxobacteria

Abstract Myxobacteria are Gram‐negative, rod‐shaped bacteria that are nearly ubiquitous in the biosphere. They forage on living and dead decaying material including bacteria and eukaryotic microbes. As such, myxobacteria appear to play an important role as scavengers cleaning up biological detritus in the environment. Isolates belonging to different genera can be distinguished by the shape of their vegetative cells, motility, pigments, as well as by the type of fruiting bodies and spores produced during their developmental cycle, which is a unique feature of this group. The ability to manipulate myxobacteria genetically combined with their complex processes including synthesis of secondary metabolites, foraging and predation, TraA‐dependent kin‐recognition, outer membrane exchange, fruiting body development, phase variation and gliding motility – makes them excellent research subjects. Key Concepts Social interactions in the myxobacteria are important for swarming, feeding and development. Kin recognition and sibling killing involve a cell surface receptor, TraA. Phase variation yields cells with specialised functions. Predation involves release of hydrolytic enzymes that allow myxobacteria to feed on other microbes. Myxococcus cells use small molecules (signals) to communicate and coordinate the fruiting body construction.