Response of the dTMP-synthesizing enzymes to differentiation processes in Physarum polycephalum

Synthesis of deoxythymidylate (dTMP) is a rate-limiting step in DNA synthesis; there are two main enzymes which are responsible for dTMP production, thymidylate synthetase (ts) and thymidine kinase (tk). Both enzymes were studied during several differentiation processes of the myxomycete Physarum polycephalum. In all stages of proliferation (microplasmodia, macroplasmodia, germinating microsclerotia and germinating spores) tk is the dominant enzyme in terms of activity, whereas ts is the predominant enzyme in quiescent stages (microsclerotia, sporangia, respectively spores); this is expressed by calculating the tk/ts ratio. This ratio is greater than 1 during proliferation and much less than 1 during quiescence. Our results clearly show that ts is the basic enzyme for dTMP production during all differentiation stages, whereas tk, if required, is shut on and represents an additional potential for dTMP synthesis during rapid proliferation.