Global transcriptome analysis of the Myxococcus xanthus multicellular developmental program

The bacteria Myxococcus xanthus exhibit a complex multicellular life cycle. In the presence of nutrients, cells prey cooperatively. Upon starvation, they enter a developmental cycle wherein cells aggregate to produce macroscopic fruiting bodies filled with resistant myxospores. We used RNA-Seq technology to examine the global transcriptome of the 96 h developmental program. This data revealed that many genes were sequentially expressed in discrete modules, with expression peaking during aggregation, in the transition from aggregation to sporulation, or during sporulation. Analysis of genes expressed at each specific time point provided a global framework integrating regulatory factors coordinating motility and differentiation in the developmental program. These data provided insights as to how starving cells obtain energy and precursors necessary for assembly of fruiting bodies and into developmental production of secondary metabolites. This study offers the first global view of developmental transcriptional profiles and provides an important scaffold for future studies.