We study fruiting body development in Myxococcus xanthus . When starved, these bacteria form fruiting bodies, which contain about 100,000 spore cells and which have a species-specific shape.
Biochemical changes parallel the morphological changes.
New proteins are synthesized at particular times during aggregation and sporulation. A series of 30 developmentally regulated promoters have been found, each of which becomes active at a characteristic time. Mutants that have lost the ability to produce extracellular signals necessary for development have been isolated. These mutants are being used to dissect the genetic program and to isolate and identify the signals. Mutants defective in cell movement are being used to analyze the link between multicellular morphogenesis and gene expression.