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Evolution of novel cooperative swarming in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus

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  • Gregory J. Velicer

    (Max-Planck Institute for Developmental Biology)

  • Yuen-tsu N. Yu

    (Max-Planck Institute for Developmental Biology)

Abstract

Cooperation among individuals is necessary for evolutionary transitions to higher levels of biological organization1,2,3. In such transitions, groups of individuals at one level (such as single cells) cooperate to form selective units at a higher level (such as multicellular organisms). Though the evolution of cooperation is difficult to observe directly in higher eukaryotes, microorganisms do offer such an opportunity4. Here we report the evolution of novel cooperative behaviour in experimental lineages of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. Wild-type strains of M. xanthus exhibit socially dependent swarming across soft surfaces5 by a mechanism known as ‘S-motility’ that requires the presence of extracellular type IV pili6. In lineages of M. xanthus unable to make pili, a new mechanistic basis for cooperative swarming evolved. Evolved swarming is mediated, at least in part, by enhanced production of an extracellular fibril matrix that binds cells—and their evolutionary interests—together. Though costly to individuals, fibril production greatly enhanced population expansion in groups of interconnected cells. These results show that fundamental transitions to primitive cooperation can readily occur in bacteria.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory J. Velicer & Yuen-tsu N. Yu, 2003. "Evolution of novel cooperative swarming in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus," Nature, Nature, vol. 425(6953), pages 75-78, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:425:y:2003:i:6953:d:10.1038_nature01908
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01908
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    Cited by:

    1. Sijmen E Schoustra & David Punzalan & Rola Dali & Howard D Rundle & Rees Kassen, 2012. "Multivariate Phenotypic Divergence Due to the Fixation of Beneficial Mutations in Experimentally Evolved Lineages of a Filamentous Fungus," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(11), pages 1-7, November.
    2. Amandine Nucci & Eduardo P. C. Rocha & Olaya Rendueles, 2022. "Adaptation to novel spatially-structured environments is driven by the capsule and alters virulence-associated traits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Andreas Wagner, 2006. "Cooperation is Fleeting in the World of Transposable Elements," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(12), pages 1-8, December.

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