Myxospores
within
dried
fruiting
bodies
may
remain
viable
for
several
years.
Ecologically,
many
of
the
myxobacteria
are
important,
occurring
as
predators
of
other
prokaryotic
and
eukaryotic
organisms.
For
example,
they
lyse
the
cells
of
true
bacteria,
blue
green
algae
and
some
higher
fungi.
The
lytic
action
must
be
of
great
importance
in
the
interrelationship
of
all
organisms
in
the
soil,
where
myxobacteria
live
in
contact
with
other
microorganisms
Except
a
few
parasitic
species,
myxobacters
and
cytophage
are
of
great
importance
to
mankind
as
scavengers.
They
are
very
active
in
decomposition
of
insoluble
organic
matter
such
as
cellulose,
agar,
exoskeletal
material
(chitin)
of
insects
and
crustacea
as
well
as
a
wide
variety
of
other
animal
and
vegetable
matter,
thus
not
only
removing
waste
matters
but
obligingly
transforming
them
into
predigested
soluble
foods
for
plants.
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