Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Standards for Quantitative Metalloproteomic Analysis Using Size Exclusion ICP-MS
Published on: April 13, 2016
Proteomic Analysis of Heavy Metal-Induced Toxicity Using the Cellular Slime Mould Dictyostelium discoideum: Effects
Atsuko Itoh1, Koji Kurihara1, Ryo Shoji1
1Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tokyo College, 1220-2 Kunugida, Hachioji 193-0997, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
The cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum is a soil-dwelling eukaryotic organism that undergoes distinctive morphological changes during starvation, making it a promising candidate for bioassay development. In this study, we evaluated the effects of copper (Cu) exposure on the morphological transformation of D. discoideum and performed a comparative proteomic analysis. Copper exposure on agar media delayed aggregate formation by 3.5 h compared to the controls. Approximately 280 protein spots were detected using immobilised pH gradient two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by silver staining. Three spots disappeared upon exposure to Cu. Based on isoelectric point and molecular weight analyses, the proteins were predicted to be formin-1, a cytoplasmic regulator of adenylyl cyclase (CRAC), and a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR)-containing protein. Formin-1 and CRAC are involved in aggregation processes. These findings suggest that Cu disrupts aggregation-related protein expression in D. discoideum and highlight the potential of D. discoideum-based bioassays using proteomic biomarkers for environmental monitoring.
More Related Videos
06:09Studying the Protein Quality Control System of D. discoideum Using Temperature-controlled Live Cell Imaging
Published on: December 2, 2016
09:01A High-throughput Assay for the Prediction of Chemical Toxicity by Automated Phenotypic Profiling of Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: March 14, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Voltammetry: Stripping Methods
Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV)
ASV is used to determine metals and metalloids at trace levels. It involves two steps: deposition and stripping. First, a negative potential is applied to the...
Effects of EDTA on End-Point Detection Methods
In the visual method, metal-ion indicators (metallochromic dyes), which have distinct colors in their free and complex forms, are added to the mixture to signal the titration's end point. They form stable complexes with metal ions, but these complexes are weaker than the corresponding metal–EDTA complexes. As a result, EDTA...
Masking and Demasking Agents
There are many masking agents, such as cyanide, fluoride, triethanolamine, thiourea, and 2,3-bis(sulfanyl)propan-1-ol (formerly 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol), with the masking agent chosen based on the metal...
Electrodeposition
Electrodeposition can...