Descrição do resistoma de solo de Cerrado stricto sensu e o potencial de dioxigenases metagenômicas na resistência antimicrobiana e em processos de biorremediação

Myxobacteria are a group of eubacteria classified in the order Myxococcales, further subdivided into two suborders and eight families. These unique microorganisms exhibit distinctive social behavior and morphogenetic characteristics, such as the ability to form myxospores and fruiting bodies. Cellular aggregation is an important feature that allows these microorganisms to adapt to almost every environment. The genomic features of myxobacteria are also peculiar. Myxobacterial genomes are large, approximately 10 Mb, which may explain, in part, their unique morphophysiological behavior. Hence,myxobacteria are relevant targets for basicmicrobiological research, including the areas of ecology and morphogenesis. They are also interesting alternatives for the screening of new bioactive molecules, with production that may reach the levels of well-recognized bacterial producers such as Actinomycetes and Bacillus spp. Since the last decades of the twentieth century, a great effort has been made to isolate and characterize myxobacterial secondary metabolites. Antifungal and antibacterial agents are the most common compounds identified to date. However, other important metabolite activities, such as cytotoxicity to eukaryotic cell lines, suggest their potential applications in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industrial research. Here, some important features of the genera and species of the Cystobacteraceae family, which was established in 1970, are described. The inclusion of new members and genera is still taking place as previously unknown myxobacteria are characterized. In addition, important ecological, genomic, phylogenetic, and morphophysiological questions are discussed and some of the genetic and physiological components that assure the ecological adaptability of these bacteria in highly variable habitats (both soil and water) are described. Finally, ongoing research and future perspectives are summarized.