TY - JOUR TI - Transcriptome dynamics of the Myxococcus xanthus multicellular developmental program AU - Muñoz-Dorado, José AU - Moraleda-Muñoz, Aurelio AU - Marcos-Torres, Francisco Javier AU - Contreras-Moreno, Francisco Javier AU - Martin-Cuadrado, Ana Belen AU - Schrader, Jared M AU - Higgs, Penelope I AU - Pérez, Juana A2 - Mignot, Tâm A2 - Storz, Gisela A2 - Sogaard-Andersen, Lotte VL - 8 PY - 2019 DA - 2019/10/14 SP - e50374 C1 - eLife 2019;8:e50374 DO - 10.7554/eLife.50374 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.50374 AB - The bacterium Myxococcus xanthus exhibits 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 transcriptome of the 96 hr developmental program. These data revealed that 1415 genes were sequentially expressed in 10 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 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 important tools and resources for future studies. KW - Myxococcus xanthus KW - transcriptome KW - development JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -