Expression of a cell surface antigen in Dictyostelium discoideum in relation to the cell cycle

We have previously shown binding of a monoclonal antibody MUD 9 to the cell surface of Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae and slug cells. In the slug stage the prestalk region was predominantly labelled, while vegetative amoebae showed a great heterogeneity in binding. In the present paper it is shown that the heterogeneous label of vegetative amoebae is due to differences in MUD 9 binding by cells in different cell cycle phases. Cells were synchronized by dilution from stationary phase and the level of MUD 9 binding was determined. Synchrony was determined by investigating increase in cell number and changes in the volume distribution of the cells, and by estimating the number of cells in S phase by monitoring bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) incorporation. Simultaneously the amount of MUD 9 binding was determined by quantitative microscopy and flow cytometry. The amount of MUD 9 label varies during the cell cycle. The highest amount of label is found on cells early in the cell cycle, i.e. S-phase. These results support the finding that the developmental fate of Dictyostelium discoideum cells depends among other things on the cell cycle position of the cells at the moment of starvation.