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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.06.27.661998

Tissue-like structures formed by a bacterium

Ampah, G. M. L.·Myers, C. J.·Ramirez Carbo, C. A.·Lin, I. S.·Nan, B.
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Abstract

Bacteria generally form only simple multicellular structures lacking the stable cell-cell connections characteristic of eukaryotic tissues. However, when the antibiotic moenomycin modifies peptidoglycan cell wall synthesis, rod-shaped cells of the Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus become spherical, fuse their outer membranes, and assemble into stable, honeycomb-like lattices resembling eukaryotic tissues. These findings raise the intriguing possibility that some tissue-like organization could have evolved from stress-induced responses in bacterial ancestors.

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Ampah, G. M. L., Myers, C. J., Ramirez Carbo, C. A., Lin, I. S., Nan, B.. 2025-06-28. Tissue-like structures formed by a bacterium. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.06.27.661998

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