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Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Genetic Engineering of Dictyostelium discoideum Cells Based on Selection and Growth on Bacteria
Published on: January 25, 2019
The Evolution of Aggregative Multicellularity and Cell-Cell Communication in the Dictyostelia
Qingyou Du1, Yoshinori Kawabe1, Christina Schilde1
1College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Aggregative multicellularity, resulting in formation of a spore-bearing fruiting body, evolved at least six times independently amongst both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Amongst eukaryotes, this form of multicellularity is mainly studied in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. In this review, we summarise trends in the evolution of cell-type specialisation and behavioural complexity in the four major groups of Dictyostelia. We describe the cell-cell communication systems that control the developmental programme of D. discoideum, highlighting the central role of cAMP in the regulation of cell movement and cell differentiation. Comparative genomic studies showed that the proteins involved in cAMP signalling are deeply conserved across Dictyostelia and their unicellular amoebozoan ancestors. Comparative functional analysis revealed that cAMP signalling in D. discoideum originated from a second messenger role in amoebozoan encystation. We highlight some molecular changes in cAMP signalling genes that were responsible for the novel roles of cAMP in multicellular development.
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