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Natural populations – Experimental ecology

Myxobacteria have evolved a remarkable diversity of multicellular forms and social interactions in their natural habitats.

Analysis of natural populations

Natural diversity among myxobacteria includes not only striking variation in fruiting-body morphology across species, but also great social diversity among closely related conspecifics co-​residing within local patches of soil, or even within the same social group. We primarily study natural variation of the model species Myxococcus xanthus in biogeographic detail to better understand how the extensive social diversity of this species evolves in its natural context. Research themes of interest regarding natural myxobacterial diversity and experimental ecology include:

external pagesRNA‐pathway genes regulating myxobacterial development exhibit clade‐specific evolution           
Chen ICK, BM Satinsky, GJ Velicer, YTN Yu. 2019. Evolution & Development

external pageDivergence of functional effects among bacterial sRNA paralogs
Chen ICK, GJ Velicer and YTN Yu. 2017. BMC Evolutionary Biology

external pagedevI is an evolutionarily young negative regulator of Myxococcus development
Rajagopalan R, S Wielgoss, G Lippert, GJ Velicer and L Kroos. 2015.  Journal of Bacteriology

external pageA recent evolutionary origin of a bacterial small RNA that controls multicellular fruiting body development
Chen ICK, B Griesenauer, YTN Yu and GJ Velicer. 2014. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution

external pageSocial genes are selection hotspots in kin groups of a soil microbe
Wielgoss S, R Wolfensberger, L Sun, F Fiegna, GJ Velicer. 2019. Science

external pageA barrier to homologous recombination between sympatric strains of the cooperative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
Wielgoss S, X Didelot, RR Chaudhuri, X Liu, GD Weedall, GJ Velicer and M Vos. 2016. The ISME Journal

external pageComplete genome sequence of the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum
Schneiker S, et al. 2007. Nature Biotechnology
 

external pageRemote extracellular attacks on bacteriophage
L Freund, M Vasse, GJ Velicer. 2023. EcoEvoRxiv

external pageAllopatric divergence of cooperators confers cheating resistance and limits effects of a defector mutation
KA Schaal, YTN Yu, M Vasse, GJ Velicer. 2022. BMC Ecology and Evolution

external pageCooperation and Cheating among Germinating Spores
S Pande, PP Escriva, YTN Yu, U Sauer, GJ Velicer 2020. Current Biology

external pageKin discrimination and outer membrane exchange in Myxococcus xanthus: Experimental analysis of a natural population
SM Cossey, YTN Yu, L Cossu, GJ Velicer. 2019. PLoS On

external pageKin discrimination and outer membrane exchange in Myxococcus xanthus: A comparative analysis among natural isolates
Wielgoss S, F Fiegna, O Rendueles, YTN Yu, GJ Velicer. 2018. Molecular Ecology

external pageChimeric synergy in natural social groups of a cooperative microbe
Pande S and GJ Velicer. 2018. Current Biology

external pageThe biogeography of kin discrimination across microbial neighbourhoods
Kraemer SA, S Wielgoss, F Fiegna and GJ Velicer. 2016. Molecular Ecology

external pagePositively frequency-dependent interference competition maintains diversity and pervades a natural population of cooperative microbes
Rendueles O, M Amherd and GJ Velicer. 2015. Current Biology

external pageSocial conflict in centimeter-and global-scale populations of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
M Vos, GJ Velicer. 2009. Current Biology

external pageSocial complementation and growth advantages promote socially defective bacterial isolates
Kraemer SA and GJ Velicer. 2014. Proc Roy Soc B

external pageChimeric load among sympatric social bacteria increases with genotype richness
Mendes-Soares H, ICK Chen, K Fitzpatrick and GJ Velicer. 2014. Proc Roy Soc B

external pageExploitative and hierarchical antagonism in a cooperative bacterium
Fiegna F and GJ Velicer. 2005. PLoS Biology

external pageSocial genes are selection hotspots in kin groups of a soil microbe
Wielgoss S, R Wolfensberger, L Sun, F Fiegna, GJ Velicer. 2019. Science

external pageSpontaneous nongenetic variation of group size creates cheater-free groups of social microbes
Amherd M, GJ Velicer and O Rendueles. 2018. Behavioural Ecology

external pageEndemic social diversity within natural kin groups of a cooperative bacterium
Kraemer SA and GJ Velicer. 2011. PNAS

external pageComparative analysis of Myxococcus predation on soil bacteria
Morgan AD, RC MacLean, KL Hillesland and GJ Velicer. 2010. Applied & Environmental Microbiology

external pageNatural variation in developmental life-history traits of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
Kraemer SA, MA Toups and GJ Velicer. 2010. FEMS Microbiology Ecology

external pageSocial conflict in centimeter and global scale populations of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus.
Vos M and GJ Velicer. 2009. Current Biology

external pageNatural variation of gliding motility in a centimetre-scale population of Myxococcus xanthus
Vos M and GJ Velicer. 2008. FEMS Microbiology Ecology

external pageDiscovering the hidden secondary metabolome of Myxococcus xanthus: a study of intra-specific diversity
Krug D, G Zurek, O Revermann, M Vos, GJ Velicer and R Müller. 2008. Applied & Environmental Microbiology

external pageVariable patterns of density-dependent survival in a social bacterium
Kadam SV and GJ Velicer. 2006. Behavioral Ecology

external pageKiller prey: Temperature reverses future bacterial predation
M Vasse, F Fiegna, B Kriesel, GJ Velicer. 2024. PLoS Biology

external pageBacterial predation of a fungal wheat pathogen: Prelude to experimental evolution of enhanced biocontrol agents
SA Eisner, F Fiegna, BA McDonald, GJ Velicer. 2023. Plant Pathology

external pageWidespread density dependence of bacterial growth under acid stress
F Fiegna, S Pande, H Peitz, GJ Velicer. 2023. iScience

external pageBehavioral interactions between bacterivorous nematodes and predatory bacteria in a synthetic community
N Mayrhofer, GJ Velicer, KA Schaal, M Vasse. 2021. Microorganisms

external pageCooperation and cheating among germinating spores
S Pande, PP Escriva, YTN Yu, U Sauer, GJ Velicer. 2020. Current Biology

external pageKin discrimination and outer membrane exchange in Myxococcus xanthus: Experimental analysis of a natural population
SM Cossey, YTN Yu, L Cossu, GJ Velicer. 2019. PLoS One

external pageSpontaneous nongenetic variation of group size creates cheater-free groups of social microbes
Amherd M, GJ Velicer and O Rendueles. 2018. Behavioural Ecology

external pageDecomposing predation: Testing for parameters that correlate with predatory performance by a social bacterium
Mendes-Soares H and GJ Velicer. 2013. Microbial Ecology

external pageNatural variation in developmental life-history traits of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
Kraemer SA, MA Toups and GJ Velicer. 2010. FEMS Microbiology Ecology

external pageNatural variation of gliding motility in a centimetre-scale population of Myxococcus xanthus
Vos M and GJ Velicer. 2008. FEMS Microbiology Ecology

external pageEcological variables affecting predatory success in Myxococcus xanthus
Hillesland KL, RE Lenski and GJ Velicer. 2007. Microbial Ecology

external pageVariable patterns of density-dependent survival in a social bacterium
Kadam SV and GJ Velicer. 2006. Behavioral Ecology

external pageResource level affects relative performance of the two Myxococcus xanthus motility systems
Hillesland KL and GJ Velicer. 2005. Microbial Ecology

external pageGroup formation: on the evolution of aggregative multicellularity
M La Fortezza, KA Schaal, GJ Velicer. 2022. The evolution of multicellularity

external pageBacteriophages of Myxococcus xanthus, a social bacterium
Vasse M, S Wielgoss. 2018. Viruses

external pageWhence comes social diversity? Ecological and evolutionary analysis of the myxobacteria
Velicer GJ, H Mendes-Soares and S Wielgoss. 2014. In Myxobacteria: Genomics and Molecular Biology, P. Higgs and Z. Yang eds. Horizon Scientific Press

external pageSocial conflict in centimeter-and global-scale populations of the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus
M Vos, GJ Velicer. 2009. Current Biology

external pageSociobiology of the myxobacteria
Velicer GJ and M Vos. 2009. Annual Review of Microbiology

external pageWhy cooperate? The ecology and evolution of myxobacteria
Velicer GJ and KL Hillesland. 2007. In Myxobacteria: Multicellularity and Differentiation, D. Whitworth, editor. American Society for Microbiology Press

external pageStrategies of microbial cheater control
Travisano M and GJ Velicer. 2004. Trends in Microbiology

external pageSocial strife in the microbial world
Velicer GJ 2003. Trends in Microbiology
 

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