Open AccessPlastic multicellular development ofMyxococcus xanthus: genotype–environment interactions in a physical gradient
Author(s) -
Natsuko RiveraYoshida,
Alejandro V. Arzola,
Juan A. Arias Del Angel,
Alessio Franci,
Michael Travisano,
Ana E. Escalante,
Mariana Benítez
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
royal society open science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 51
ISSN - 2054-5703
DOI - 10.1098/rsos.181730
Subject(s) - myxococcus xanthus , multicellular organism , biology , phenotype , context (archaeology) , trait , population , evolutionary biology , genotype , genetics , ecology , gene , paleontology , demography , sociology , mutant , computer science , programming language
In order to investigate the contribution of the physical environment to variation in multicellular development of Myxococcus xanthus , phenotypes developed by different genotypes in a gradient of substrate stiffness conditions were quantitatively characterized. Statistical analysis showed that plastic phenotypes result from the genotype, the substrate conditions and the interaction between them. Also, phenotypes were expressed in two distinguishable scales, the individual and the population levels, and the interaction with the environment showed scale and trait specificity. Overall, our results highlight the constructive role of the physical context in the development of microbial multicellularity, with both ecological and evolutionary implications.