myxobacteria

Myxobacteria are a diverse group of Gram-negative bacteria within the order Myxococcales. They are best known for their complex social behavior, cooperative predation, and unique multicellular development. Most species are soil-dwelling and play a role in shaping microbial communities through predation on other bacteria and production of extracellular enzymes.

In their vegetative stage, myxobacteria glide across solid surfaces in swarming groups, using coordinated motility systems and signaling to optimize feeding. They digest prey by secreting enzymes such as proteases and lytic enzymes, then absorb the nutrients. Two main modes of movement have been described: social (S) motility, which relies on Type IV pili and cell–cell coordination, and adventurous (A) motility, which drives individual cells in the absence of pili. Nutrient limitation triggers a developmental program that leads to the formation of multicellular fruiting bodies.

Under starvation, cells aggregate to form a mound that develops into a fruiting body, often featuring a stalk and a sorus containing resistant myxospores. The development is regulated by signaling pathways and cell–cell communication, including density- and differentiation-dependent signals. This makes the life cycle a prominent example of bacterial multicellularity and differentiation.

Ecologically, myxobacteria contribute to soil health by recycling organic matter and suppressing competing microbes through predation and antibiotic production. They are also valuable in scientific research as model organisms for social behavior, cellular differentiation, and natural product discovery, with genomes often large and rich in regulatory and secondary-metabolism genes. They are generally not associated with human disease in healthy contexts.