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Nanotubes enable intercellular communication in early-branching eukaryotes
Harikumar R Suma1,2, Robert R Kay3, Sandeep M Eswarappa4
1Department of Paleobiotechnology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology-Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, 07745 Jena, Thuringia, Germany.
PNAS Nexus
|July 29, 2026
Summary
Social amoebae form tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) for direct cell-to-cell communication and cargo transfer. This discovery reveals a new mechanism for intercellular communication in early eukaryotes.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Social amoebae, like Dictyostelium discoideum, display multicellular traits requiring sophisticated cell communication.
- Intercellular communication in amoebae was primarily understood through secreted molecules, leaving juxtacrine mechanisms unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novel mechanisms of intercellular communication in social amoebae.
- To identify and characterize juxtacrine connections in amoebal species.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fluorescence labeling and confocal microscopy to visualize cellular structures.
- Employed live cell imaging to observe dynamic nanotube formation and function.
- Investigated nanotube stability under conditions affecting cytoskeletal dynamics.
Main Results:
- Identified de novo formation of tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) in social amoebae.
- Demonstrated that TNTs are actin-rich protrusions facilitating direct cargo transport between connected cells.
- Confirmed the presence of TNTs across different amoebal species, indicating broad relevance.
Conclusions:
- Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) represent a novel juxtacrine communication mechanism in amoebae.
- TNTs facilitate robust and adaptable cell-to-cell communication and cargo transfer, crucial for microbial communities.
- This discovery provides insights into the evolution of multicellularity and cell signaling in early eukaryotes.
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