Two-component systems and regulation of developmental progression in Myxococcus xanthus.

Myxococcus xanthus is a prokaryotic model system for multicellular development and cell differentiation. Two-component signal transduction genes are abundant in this organism and the majority is likely organized into complex signaling pathways. This chapter describes in vivo genetic and in vitro biochemical methods used to define signal transduction systems in M. xanthus. We also describe a series of phenotypic analyses utilized to define how a specific set of atypical histidine kinases (HKs) influence progression through the complex developmental program.