Figure 3.

Partial glycerides produced by Myxococcus restore development to a csgA mutant. (A) Bioactive partial glycerides were purified from Myxococcus cells at 24 h post-development and characterized using a bioassay in which development of csgA was restored. LS3931 cells supplemented with this lipid fraction form fruiting bodies and sporulate. Sporulation data are presented below each strain name as a percentage of wild-type spores ± the standard deviation, an average of three independent counts. Bar, 200 μm. (B) These lipids also restore lipid body production in csgA socA mutant cells (LS3931) to wild-type (DK1622) levels. Lipid bodies inside cells are indicated by Nile red staining. Bar, 10 μm. (C) Quantification of lipid body production relative to wild-type amounts. Lipid bodies were quantified by average Nile red intensity normalized to cell length. Error bars indicate standard deviation of three replicates.