Differential synthesis of histone H1 during early spherulation in Physarum polycephalum

H1 and P2 (an H1 degree/HMG-like protein) accumulate during exponential growth of Physarum microplasmodia (unpublished results), indicating that these proteins may play a role in differentiation (spherulation). To test this hypothesis, pulse labelling using [14C]lysine was used to determine whether any differential histone synthesis occurs during salts-induced spherulation. A peak in the uptake of [14C]lysine into microplasmodia was detected between 12 and 24 h following salts-induction. During the same interval, incorporation of label into the CaCl2-extracted histones occurred, with H1 being synthesised at approx. 3 times the level of the core histones and P2. Densitometry of SDS-PAGE gels showed that high levels of H1 were maintained up to 40 h in salts medium, beyond the observed peak in synthesis. The synthesis and accumulation of high levels of H1 during early spherulation indicates a role for this histone in the initiation and maintenance of a transcriptionally inactive differentiated state.