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Cyclic AMP and folic acid mediated cyclic GMP accumulation in Dictyostelium discoideum
Author(s) -
Mato José M.,
Van Haastert Peter J.M.,
Krens Frans A.,
Rhunsburger Els H.,
Dobbe Fred C.P.M.,
Konijn Theo M.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(77)80814-4
Subject(s) - morphogenesis , biology , genetics , gene
In a suitable environment spores of the Dictyostelia [ 1 ] germinate yielding small amoebae. Each amoebae feeds on bacteria and divides. Following consumption of the food supply amoebae aggregate forming a slug where cells differentiate into spores and stalk ceils. The orientation of cells towards a food source or an aggregation center is guided by gradients of concentration of chemotactic molecules. In D. discoideum vegetative amoebae are attracted by folic acid [2] and aggregative amoebae by cAMP [3]. The sensory reception of a cAMP signal involves binding of cAMP to cell-surface bound receptors [4-7] and analysis of the signal in terms of changes of concentration over distance [8]. The sensory system transmits the signal to pseudopod formation into the direction of the attractant within t0 s [9]. Recently we have shown that, at physiological concentrations, cAMP induces an increase in the level of cGMP that precedes pseudopod formation [10]. cGMP peaks are high (up to 10-fold with 5 X 10 -7 M cAMP) and brief (pre-stimulation level is reached in about 25-30 s after addition of cAMP).