Myxococcus xanthus is a bacterium that treads the fine line between single celled and multicellular life. M. xanthus is a Gram negative soil-borne bacterium that displays a complex developmental cycle. When starved for nutrients 100,000 individual cells give rise to elaborate fruiting structures in which terminal cellular differentiation takes place giving rise to extremely resistant spores. This process involves a series of cell-cell signals which are currentlly being studied by a number of labs throughout the world.Back to the Gene's biography
Back to the Flying Rat Home Page