Loss of social behaviors by Myxococcus xanthus during evolution in an unstructured habitat
AUTOR(ES)
Velicer, Gregory J.
FONTE
The National Academy of Sciences
RESUMO
Social behaviors are often targets of natural selection among higher organisms, but quantifying the effects of such selection is difficult. We have used the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus as a model system for studying the evolution of social interactions. Changes in the social behaviors of 12 M. xanthus populations were quantified after 1,000 generations of evolution in a liquid habitat, in which interactions among individuals were continually hindered by shaking and low cell densities. Derived lineages were compared with their ancestors with respect to maximum growth rate, motility rates on hard and soft agar, fruiting body formation ability, and sporulation frequency during starvation. Improved performance in the liquid selective regime among evolved lines was usually associated with significant reductions in all of the major social behaviors of M. xanthus. Maintenance of functional social behaviors is apparently detrimental to fitness under asocial growth conditions.
ACESSO AO ARTIGO
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=22839Documentos Relacionados
- Rescue of Social Motility Lost during Evolution of Myxococcus xanthus in an Asocial Environment
- Extracellular polysaccharides mediate pilus retraction during social motility of Myxococcus xanthus
- Production of an extracellular milk-clotting activity during development in Myxococcus xanthus.
- Defects in contact-stimulated gliding during aggregation by Myxococcus xanthus.
- Iodination of Myxococcus xanthus during development.
