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Regulation of cell-cell adhesion during Dictyostelium development

Chi-Hung Siu1, Tony J C Harris, Jun Wang

  • 1Banting and Best Department of Medical Research and Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 112 College Street, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 1L6. chi.hung.siu@utoronto.ca

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|November 25, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Dictyostelium development involves dynamic cell adhesion, regulated by molecules like gp80. Genetic studies reveal their roles in development, with lipid rafts facilitating rapid adhesion complex assembly.

Area of Science:

  • Cell biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Dictyostelium discoideum serves as a model organism for studying multicellular development.
  • Cell-cell adhesion is crucial for morphogenesis and tissue organization.
  • Adherens junction-like structures are observed in Dictyostelium fruiting bodies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of specific cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in Dictyostelium development.
  • To understand the mechanisms regulating the dynamic assembly and disassembly of cell adhesion complexes.
  • To elucidate the function of gp80 in cell-cell interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic manipulation (over-expression and knockout mutations) of adhesion genes (cadA, csaA, lagC).
  • Analysis of temporal and spatial gene expression patterns.
  • Biochemical studies focusing on gp80 and lipid rafts.

Main Results:

  • CAMs, including DdCAD-1, gp80, and gp150, play significant roles in regulating aggregate size, cell-type proportioning, differentiation, and sorting.
  • Cell adhesion molecule expression is tightly controlled during development, correlating with morphological changes.
  • A model proposing lipid raft-mediated rapid assembly of adhesion complexes involving gp80 was developed.

Conclusions:

  • Cell adhesion molecules are critical regulators of complex developmental processes in Dictyostelium.
  • Dynamic cell-cell interactions are facilitated by rapid adhesion complex modulation.
  • Lipid rafts are implicated in the efficient assembly of cell adhesion machinery.

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