Open AccessMultidirectional phototaxis by Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae
Author(s) -
Fisher Paul R.,
Häder Donat P.,
Williams Keith L.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1985.tb00832.x
Subject(s) - phototaxis , dictyostelium discoideum , biology , mycetozoa , light intensity , dictyostelium , slime mold , light source , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , optics , physics , genetics , gene
Phototaxis by solitary Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae is known to be complex, the amoebae turning either towards or away from the light, depending on conditions such as light intensity. Having previously shown that amoebal phototaxis can be bidirectional (2 preferred directions either side of the light source), we now report the discovery of multidirectional phototaxis by D. discoideum amoebae, with up to 12 different preferred directions. As in the bidirectional case, multidirectional phototaxis depends on direction‐dependent transitions from turning away from to turning towards the light source.