Reversible cyclic AMP-dependent change in distribution of myosin thick filaments in Dictyostelium

Myosin is thought to act as a major mechanochemical transducer in non-muscle cell motility, but the in situ organization of the molecules has not yet been determined. Here we report the localization of myosin 'rods', analogous to the thick filaments of muscle, by ameliorated immunofluorescence and demonstrate the dynamic translocation of these rods in response to exogenously added cyclic AMP, which is a chemoattractant for Dictyostelium amoebae. On addition of cyclic AMP, we observed instantaneous shedding of the endoplasmic myosin followed by an increase in cortical rods, the original distribution being recovered in a few minutes. We conclude that myosin filaments mediate Dictyostelium cell movement, probably by an assembly/disassembly cycle of the molecules in response to a chemotactic stimulus.