Reversible inhibition of aggregation-related cohesivity in Dictyostelium discoideum by diffusible metabolites

Evidence presented elsewhere (G.B. Williams, E.M. Elder, and M. Sussman 1984, Dev. Biol. 105, 377-388) indicates that NH3 and certain carboxylic acids including propionate, succinate, and acetate modulate the cAMP relay in Dictyostelium discoideum. The former appears to act as a cAMP accumulation inhibitor, the latter as cAMP release inhibitors. The cohesive properties of aggregation competent cells have been assayed quantitatively in the presence of these modulators. The following results were obtained: (1) At pH 7.5, EDTA-resistant cohesivity was greatly inhibited by NH4C within the concentration range tested (30-3.8 mM). Even at the higher concentrations the effect was not immediate but required ca. 10 min for full expression. At the lower concentrations, the inhibitory level was only slightly reduced but the time for full expression progressively increased. At pH 6.5, the level of inhibition was marginal, indicating that NH3 is the active molecular species. By themselves, neither ambient pH nor ionic strength appeared to affect cohesive performance within the ranges employed. The inhibition was immediately and completely reversed upon removal of NH4Cl or a shift of ambient pH from 7.5 to 6.5. The presence of cycloheximide did not affect the recovery of cohesivity after NH4Cl removal. (2) The presence of 15 mM succinate, propionate, or acetate also reduced cell cohesivity. The timing and extent of the inhibition were identical at pH 7.5 and 6.5. The inhibition was expressed immediately and was reversible. Each of the acids acted synergistically with NH4Cl. The relative potencies of these metabolites acting singly or in combination as inhibitors of cohesivity corresponded roughly to their potencies as modulators of the cAMP relay (Williams et al., 1984). (3) The sensitivity to the metabolites was stage specific, being maximal during and shortly after aggregation and disappearing abruptly at 11-12 hr. This corresponds to the time at which this cohesive system, responsible for the end-to-end cell associations evident during aggregation (H. Beug, G. Gerisch, S. Kempff, V. Riedel, and G. Cremer, 1970, Exp. Cell. Res. 63, 147-158) is supplanted by a newly arisen, serologically and genetically distinct system which thereafter maintains the integrity of the aggregate (C. Steinemann and R.W. Parish, 1980, Nature (London) 286, 721-724; D.K. Wilcox and M. Sussman, 1981, Dev. Biol. 82, 102-112, and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78, 358-362; C.L. Saxe III and M. Sussman, 1982, Cell 29, 755-759). The activities of the metabolites, detailed above, are discussed in relation to their previously demonstrated activities as morphogens.