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cAMP pulses coordinate morphogenetic movement during fruiting body formation of Dictyostelium minutum

P Schaap1, T M Konijn, P J van Haastert

  • 1Cell Biology and Morphogenesis Unit, Zoological Laboratory, University of Leiden, Kaiserstraat 63, 2311 GP Leiden, The Netherlands.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|April 1, 1984
PubMed

Insights

Cellular slime molds use chemical signals for development. Dictyostelium minutum uses folic acid for aggregation and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) for culmination, organizing multicellular development.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cellular slime molds exhibit complex multicellular development.
  • Primitive species like Dictyostelium minutum aggregate via chemotaxis.
  • Distinct signaling molecules regulate different developmental stages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the chemoattractant involved in Dictyostelium minutum culmination.
  • To elucidate the role of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in multicellular development.
  • To compare signaling mechanisms between primitive and advanced cellular slime mold species.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of cell movement and aggregation patterns.
  • Identification of chemoattractants through experimental manipulation.
  • Analysis of cell surface receptor and enzyme activity.

Main Results:

  • Dictyostelium minutum uses folic acid for initial aggregation.
  • Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) acts as the chemoattractant during culmination.
  • cAMP signaling components (receptors, phosphodiesterase) appear on cell surfaces before culmination.
  • External cAMP induces disorientation, suggesting its role in organizing movement.

Conclusions:

  • The cAMP signaling system is crucial for organizing multicellular development in Dictyostelium slime molds.
  • This signaling pathway is conserved across primitive and advanced species.
  • cAMP orchestrates culmination in Dictyostelium minutum, similar to aggregation in advanced species.

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