Multicellularity in Bacteria: From Division of Labor to Biofilm Formation

Aguilar, Claudio; Eichwald, Catherine; Eberl, Leo

doi:10.1007/978-94-017-9642-2_4

Cited by 26 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…O 2 or sulfide concentrations (Canfield & Teske, ; Canfield, Poulton, & Narbonne, ; Johnston et al ., ; Richter & King, )]. Whereas simple multicellular lineages may be as old as 3.5 Ga (Aguilar et al ., ), complex multicellular organisms originated much later. Recent studies (Parfrey et al ., ; dos Reis et al ., ; Sharpe et al ., ) date complex multicellular clades to between 175 and 800 million years ago (Mya), with the Metazoa being the oldest (700–800 Mya), followed by Florideophyceae red algae (Xiao et al ., ; Parfrey et al ., ) (550–720 Mya), the Embryophyta (430–450 Mya) and macroscopic brown algae (175 Mya) (Silberfeld et al ., ).…”

Section: Evolutionary Timescale For Complex Multicellular Fungimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Multicellularity comes in many forms and complexity levels, ranging from simple cell aggregations, colonies, films or filaments to the most complex organisms known (Szathmary & Smith, ; Rokas, ; Fairclough, Dayel, & King, ; Knoll, ; Niklas & Newman, ; Richter & King, ; Sebé‐Pedrós et al ., ; Niklas, ; Rainey & de Monte, ; Umen, ; Aguilar, Eichwald, & Eberl, ; Herron & Nedelcu, ). While simple cell aggregations and colonies evolved at least 25 times in both pro‐ and eukaryotes (Grosberg & Strathmann, ; Rokas, ), complex multicellularity has evolved in up to five major groups: animals, embryophytes, red and brown algae (Knoll, ; Claessen et al ., ; Niklas, ; Umen, ; Cock et al ., , ; Nagy, ; Niklas & Newman, ; Sebé‐Pedrós, Degnan & Ruiz‐Trillo, ), and fungi.…”

Section: Introduction: Simple and Complex Multicellularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complex multicellularity in fungi: evolutionary convergence, single origin, or both?

2018

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Complex multicellularity represents the most advanced level of biological organization and it has evolved only a few times: in metazoans, green plants, brown and red algae and fungi. Compared to other lineages, the evolution of multicellularity in fungi follows different principles; both simple and complex multicellularity evolved via unique mechanisms not found in other lineages. Herein we review ecological, palaeontological, developmental and genomic aspects of complex multicellularity in fungi and discuss general principles of the evolution of complex multicellularity in light of its fungal manifestations. Fungi represent the only lineage in which complex multicellularity shows signatures of convergent evolution: it appears 8-11 times in distinct fungal lineages, which show a patchy phylogenetic distribution yet share some of the genetic mechanisms underlying complex multicellular development. To explain the patchy distribution of complex multicellularity across the fungal phylogeny we identify four key observations: the large number of apparently independent complex multicellular clades; the lack of documented phenotypic homology between these clades; the conservation of gene circuits regulating the onset of complex multicellular development; and the existence of clades in which the evolution of complex multicellularity is coupled with limited gene family diversification. We discuss how these patterns and known genetic aspects of fungal development can be reconciled with the genetic theory of convergent evolution to explain the pervasive occurrence of complex multicellularity across the fungal tree of life.

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Section: Evolutionary Timescale For Complex Multicellular Fungimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction: Simple and Complex Multicellularitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex multicellularity in fungi: evolutionary convergence, single origin, or both?

2018

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“…As expected, B. amyloliquefaciens 54 formed robust and wrinkled pellicles in LBGM liquid medium ( Figure 1A,C) and complex colony patterns on agar plates ( Figure 1B). According to the regulatory genetic circuitry that regulates biofilm formation ( Figure 1D) [31][32][33], null mutations of these genes which result in hyper-robust biofilms (∆abrB and ∆ywcC) and strong defective biofilms (∆epsA-O and ∆tasA) were introduced into wild-type B. amyloliquefaciens 54. The pellicle formations and colony morphologies of the wild-type strain and its derivatives were examined in defined media (LBGM).…”

Section: B Amyloliquefaciens 54 Forms Robust Biofilms Both In Lbgm Mmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biofilms Positively Contribute to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 54-induced Drought Tolerance in Tomato Plants

Wang

Jiang

Zhang

et al. 2019

IJMS

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Drought stress is a major obstacle to agriculture. Although many studies have reported on plant drought tolerance achieved via genetic modification, application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to achieve tolerance has rarely been studied. In this study, the ability of three isolates, including Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 54, from 30 potential PGPR to induce drought tolerance in tomato plants was examined via greenhouse screening. The results indicated that B. amyloliquefaciens 54 significantly enhanced drought tolerance by increasing survival rate, relative water content and root vigor. Coordinated changes were also observed in cellular defense responses, including decreased concentration of malondialdehyde and elevated concentration of antioxidant enzyme activities. Moreover, expression levels of stress-responsive genes, such as lea, tdi65, and ltpg2, increased in B. amyloliquefaciens 54-treated plants. In addition, B. amyloliquefaciens 54 induced stomatal closure through an abscisic acid-regulated pathway. Furthermore, we constructed biofilm formation mutants and determined the role of biofilm formation in B. amyloliquefaciens 54-induced drought tolerance. The results showed that biofilm-forming ability was positively correlated with plant root colonization. Moreover, plants inoculated with hyper-robust biofilm (∆abrB and ∆ywcC) mutants were better able to resist drought stress, while defective biofilm (∆epsA-O and ∆tasA) mutants were more vulnerable to drought stress. Taken altogether, these results suggest that biofilm formation is crucial to B. amyloliquefaciens 54 root colonization and drought tolerance in tomato plants.

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“…The most important benefit of such phenotypic variations is the division of labor, with different cell types specialized in different functions working together. Such division of labor, combined with cell–cell adhesion and coordinated intercellular communication, permits the whole population to function more efficiently, to achieve new synchronized functionalities, and to develop complex group behaviors, such as avoidance of predation and of non-cooperative individuals and improvement in efficiency of nutrient acquisition ( Ackermann et al, 2008 ; Aguilar et al, 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Myxobacteria: Moving, Killing, Feeding, and Surviving Together

et al. 2016

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Myxococcus xanthus, like other myxobacteria, is a social bacterium that moves and feeds cooperatively in predatory groups. On surfaces, rod-shaped vegetative cells move in search of the prey in a coordinated manner, forming dynamic multicellular groups referred to as swarms. Within the swarms, cells interact with one another and use two separate locomotion systems. Adventurous motility, which drives the movement of individual cells, is associated with the secretion of slime that forms trails at the leading edge of the swarms. It has been proposed that cellular traffic along these trails contributes to M. xanthus social behavior via stigmergic regulation. However, most of the cells travel in groups by using social motility, which is cell contact-dependent and requires a large number of individuals. Exopolysaccharides and the retraction of type IV pili at alternate poles of the cells are the engines associated with social motility. When the swarms encounter prey, the population of M. xanthus lyses and takes up nutrients from nearby cells. This cooperative and highly density-dependent feeding behavior has the advantage that the pool of hydrolytic enzymes and other secondary metabolites secreted by the entire group is shared by the community to optimize the use of the degradation products. This multicellular behavior is especially observed in the absence of nutrients. In this condition, M. xanthus swarms have the ability to organize the gliding movements of 1000s of rods, synchronizing rippling waves of oscillating cells, to form macroscopic fruiting bodies, with three subpopulations of cells showing division of labor. A small fraction of cells either develop into resistant myxospores or remain as peripheral rods, while the majority of cells die, probably to provide nutrients to allow aggregation and spore differentiation. Sporulation within multicellular fruiting bodies has the benefit of enabling survival in hostile environments, and increases germination and growth rates when cells encounter favorable conditions. Herein, we review how these social bacteria cooperate and review the main cell-cell signaling systems used for communication to maintain multicellularity.

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Multicellularity in Bacteria: From Division of Labor to Biofilm Formation

Cited by 26 publications

References 77 publications

Complex multicellularity in fungi: evolutionary convergence, single origin, or both?

Complex multicellularity in fungi: evolutionary convergence, single origin, or both?

Biofilms Positively Contribute to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 54-induced Drought Tolerance in Tomato Plants

Myxobacteria: Moving, Killing, Feeding, and Surviving Together

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