Differential expression of an alpha-tubulin gene during the development of Physarum polycephalum

The expression of an alpha-tubulin gene (altB1 (N alpha Tu) [(1987) J. Mol. Biol. 193, 427-438]) of Physarum polycephalum (strain CLdAXE) was found to be governed by a developmental switch since mRNA transcripts were detected, by S1 nuclease analysis, in the plasmodial but not the amoebal phase of the life-cycle. The conclusion that the altB1 (N alpha Tu) allele codes for a plasmodial specific alpha-tubulin isotype is supported by recent amino acid sequence data.