hormogones
Hormogones are short, motile filaments produced by certain cyanobacteria as dispersal propagules. They detach from a longer vegetative trichome and move across surfaces by gliding motility, using extracellular polysaccharides and surface structures rather than flagella. Typically composed of only a few cells, hormogones are specialized for spreading to new substrates and initiating new colonies.
The primary function of hormogones is dispersal. After detachment, they migrate to nearby or distant sites
Formation and triggers for hormogone development vary with species but commonly include environmental cues such as
Ecologically, hormogones contribute to the spread of cyanobacteria in soils, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. They play