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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Dictyostelium myosin II heavy-chain kinase A is activated by autophosphorylation: studies with Dictyostelium myosin II and synthetic peptides.

One of the major sites phosphorylated on the Dictyostelium myosin II heavy chain by the Dictyostelium myosin II heavy-chain kinase A (MHCK A) is Thr-2029. Two synthetic peptides based on the sequence of the Dictyostelium myosin II heavy chain around Thr-2029 have been synthesized: MH-1 (residues 2020-2035; RKKFGESEKTKTKEFL-amide) and MH-2 (residues 2024-2035). Both peptides are substrates for MHCK A and are phosphorylated to a level of 1 mol of phosphate/mol. Tryptic digests indicate that the peptides are phosphorylated on the threonine corresponding to Thr-2029. When assays are initiated by the addition of MHCK A, the rate of phosphate incorporation into the peptides increases progressively for 4-6 min. The increasing activity of MHCK A over this time period is a result of autophosphorylation. Although each 130-kDa subunit of MHCK A can incorporate up to 10 phosphate molecules, 3 molecules of phosphate per subunit are sufficient to completely activate the kinase. Autophosphorylated MHCK A displays Vmax values of 2.2 and 0.6 mumol.min-1.mg-1 and Km values of 100 and 1200 microM with peptides MH-1 and MH-2, respectively. Unphosphorylated MHCK A displays a 50-fold lower Vmax with MH-1 but only a 2-fold greater Km. In the presence of Dictyostelium myosin II, the rate of autophosphorylation of MHCK A is increased 4-fold. If assays are performed at 4 degrees C (to slow the rate of MHCK A autophosphorylation), autophosphorylation can be shown to increase the activity of MHCK A with myosin II.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Purification and characterization of a Dictyostelium protein kinase required for actin activation of the Mg2+ ATPase activity of Dictyostelium myosin ID.

We have isolated a protein from Dictyostelium with a molecular mass of 110 kDa as judged by SDS-gel electrophoresis that can stimulate the actin-activated MgATPase activity of Dictyostelium myosin ID (MyoD). In the presence of MgATP the 110-kDa protein incorporated phosphate into itself and into the heavy chain, but not the light chain, of MyoD. Phosphorylation to 0.5 mol of Pi/mol increased the MyoD actin-activated MgATPase rate from 0.2 to 3 mumol/min/mg. Renaturation following SDS-gel electrophoresis demonstrated that the 110-kDa protein contained intrinsic protein kinase and autophosphorylation activity. Autophosphorylation to 1 mol of Pi/mol enhanced the rate at which the 110-kDa protein kinase phosphorylated MyoD by 40-fold. The rate of autophosphorylation was strongly dependent on the 110-kDa protein kinase concentration, indicating an intermolecular reaction. Synthetic peptides of 9-11 residues corresponding to the heavy chain phosphorylation site of Acanthamoeba myosin IC and the homologous sites in Dictyostelium myosin IB (MyoB) and MyoD were poor substrates for the 110-kDa protein kinase. The 110-kDa protein kinase was unable to phosphorylate the MyoB isozyme suggesting that it may be specific for MyoD.

Actins↗
PubMed2005

Structural requirements of Dictyostelium differentiation-inducing factors for their stalk-cell-inducing activity in Dictyostelium cells and anti-proliferative activity in K562 human leukemic cells.

The differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1) is a lipophilic signal molecule (chlorinated alkylphenone) that induces stalk-cell differentiation in the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum. It has also been shown that DIF-1 and its derivative (DIF-3) suppress cell growth in mammalian tumor cells. In the present study, in order to assess the chemical structure-effect relationship of DIF derivatives and to develop useful agents for the study of both Dictyostelium development and cancer biology, we synthesized 28 analogues of DIF-1 and DIF-3 and investigated their stalk-cell-inducing activity in Dictyostelium HM44 cells (mutant strain) and anti-proliferative activity in human leukemia K562 cells. HM44 cells are defective in endogenous DIF-1 production and should be suitable for the assay for stalk-cell-inducing activity of DIF analogues. DIF-1 and some of its derivatives at nanomolar levels were good stalk-cell inducers in HM44 cells, whereas DIF-3 and some DIF-3 derivatives at micromolar levels were potent anti-proliferative agents in K562 cells. We also tried to search for antagonistic molecules against DIF-1 and DIF-3 but failed to find such molecules from the analogues used here. The present findings would give us hints for identifying the target molecule(s) of DIFs and also for developing novel anti-cancer drugs.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2004

Structural requirements of dictyopyrones isolated from Dictyostelium spp. in the regulation of Dictyostelium development and in anti-leukemic activity.

Cellular slime molds are fascinating to the field of developmental biology, and have long been used as excellent model organisms for the study of various aspects of multicellular development. We have recently isolated alpha-pyronoids, named dictyopyrones A-D (1-4), from various species of Dictyostelium cellular slime molds, and it was shown that compound 3 may regulate Dictyostelium development. In this study, we synthesized dictyopyrones A-D (1-4) and their analogues, investigated the physiological role of the molecules in cell growth and morphogenesis in D. discoideum, and further verified their effects on human leukemia K562 cells. Nitrogen-containing compounds 22 and 37 strongly inhibited cell growth in K562 leukemia cells, indicating that these compounds may be utilized as novel lead compounds for anti-leukemic agents.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Dictyostelium and Acanthamoeba myosin II assembly domains go to the cleavage furrow of Dictyostelium myosin II-null cells.

How myosin II localizes to the cleavage furrow of dividing cells is largely unknown. We show here that a 283-residue protein, assembly domain (AD)1, corresponding to the AD in the tail of Dictyostelium myosin II assembles into bundles of long tubules when expressed in myosin II-null cells and localizes to the cleavage furrow of dividing cells. AD1 mutants that do not polymerize in vitro do not go to the cleavage furrow in vivo. An assembly-competent polypeptide corresponding to the C-terminal 256 residues of Acanthamoeba myosin II also goes to the cleavage furrow of Dictyostelium myosin II-null cells. When overexpressed in wild-type cells, AD1 colocalizes with endogenous myosin II (possibly as a copolymer) in interphase, motile, and dividing cells and under caps of Con A receptors but has no effect on myosin II-dependent functions. These results suggest that neither a specific sequence, other than that required for polymerization, nor interaction with other proteins is required for localization of myosin II to the cleavage furrow.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed1994

Identification and characterization of multiple A/T-rich cis-acting elements that control expression from Dictyostelium actin promoters: the Dictyostelium actin upstream activating sequence confers growth phase expression and has enhancer-like properties.

The promoter elements in the Dictyostelium actin 15 and actin 6 genes required for full growth phase expression were identified by assaying promoter/luciferase reporter constructs. We find that these promoters contain common cis-acting elements, an actin upstream activating sequence (UAS) and sequences proximal to the transcription start site that overlap with a poly(dT) region. The actin 15 promoter has two additional cis-acting elements not present in the actin 6 promoter that may account for the higher level of expression from the actin 15 promoter. All of the identified promoter elements are unusual for Dictyostelium in that they are all A/T-rich. Two cis-acting elements, the actin UAS and the poly(dT) domain were studied in greater detail. The actin UAS was tested on a heterologous promoter from the prespore-specific gene SP60 and shown to have the ability to confer growth phase expression. The actin UAS also exhibited the ability to function in a distance- and orientation-independent manner and activate expression synergistically when present in two copies. The poly(dT) domain of the actin 15 promoter was studied in greater detail by using a genetic selection scheme to define parameters that effect the strength of this element. This element is comprised of 45 consecutive dT residues immediately upstream of the putative TATA box. We show that the length of the homopolymer dT region correlates with the expression level of the promoter. The poly(dT) element is also shown to function to promote wild-type levels of expression with small deviations in the sequence, indicating that the element is not required to be homopolymeric to function.

Actins↗
PubMed1994

Internally located and oppositely oriented polymerase II promoters direct convergent transcription of a LINE-like retroelement, the Dictyostelium repetitive element, from Dictyostelium discoideum.

The Dictyostelium discoideum NC4 genome harbors approximately 150 individual copies of a retrotransposable element called the Dictyostelium repetitive element (DRE). This element contains nonidentical terminal repeats (TRs) consisting of conserved building blocks A and B in the left TR and B and C in the right TR. Seven different-sized classes of RNA transcripts from these elements were resolved by Northern (RNA) blot analysis, but their combined abundance was very low. When D. discoideum cells were grown in the presence of the respiratory chain blocker antimycin A, steady-state concentrations of these RNA species increased 10- to 20-fold. The D. discoideum genome contains two DRE subtypes, the full-length 5.7-kb DREa and the internally deleted 2.4-kb DREb. Both subtypes are transcribed, as confirmed by analysis of cloned cDNA. Primary transcripts from the sense strand originate at nucleotide +1 and terminate at two dominant sites, located 21 or 28 nucleotides upstream from the 3' end of the elements. The activity of a reasonably strong polymerase II promoter in the 5'-terminal A module is slightly upregulated by the tRNA gene located 50 +/- 4 nucleotides upstream and drastically reduced by the adjacent B module of the DRE. Transcripts from the opposite DNA strand (complementary-sense transcripts) were also detected, directed by an internally located polymerase II promoter residing within the C module. This latter transcription was initiated at multiple sites within the oligo(dA12) stretch which terminates DREs.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A stalk-specific wheat germ agglutinin binding protein, wst34, in Dictyostelium discoideum can be detected with antiserum raised against Dictyostelium mucoroides stalk.

A new stalk-specific wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding protein, wst34, has been identified in Dictyostelium discoideum and purified by the use of preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a WGA-affinity column. In normal development, wst34 appears during culmination and is maintained in stalk cells. It has a molecular mass of 34 kilodaltons and a pI value of 5.5-6.5. A polyclonal antiserum raised against stalk cell proteins of Dictyostelium mucoroides recognizes wst34 in western blots of D. discoideum proteins.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed1988

G-proteins in the signal-transduction pathways of Dictyostelium discoideum.

The functional interaction of surface cAMP receptors with effector enzymes via G-proteins was investigated in Dictyostelium discoideum. Several experimental conditions were used to investigate signal transduction, such as reduced temperatures, use of down-regulated cells and of mutants. The results are presented as a model describing the complex interaction between multiple forms of the surface cAMP receptor and different G-proteins that are responsible for the generation of the second messengers, cAMP, cGMP, InsP3 and Ca2+.

Dictyostelium↗
PubMed2005

DNG1, a Dictyostelium homologue of tumor suppressor ING1 regulates differentiation of Dictyostelium cells.

dng1 is a Dictyostelium homologue of the mammalian tumor suppressor ING gene. DNG1 protein localizes in the nucleus, and has a highly conserved PHD finger domain found in chromatin-remodeling proteins. Both dng1 disruption and overexpression impaired cell proliferation. In dng1-null cells, the progression of differentiation was delayed in a cell-density-dependent manner, and many tiny aggregates were formed. Exogenously applied cAMP pulses reversed the inhibitory effect caused by dng1 disruption on the aggregation during early development, but formation of tiny aggregates was not restored. dng1-overexpressing cells acquired the ability to undergo chemotaxis to cAMP earlier and exhibited enhanced differentiation. These phenotypes were found to be coupled with altered expressions of early genes such as cAMP receptor 1 (car1) and contact site A (csA). Furthermore, disordered histone modifications were demonstrated in dng1-null cells. These results suggest a regulatory role of dng1 in the transition of cells from growth to differentiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1982

Antigenic differences detected between prespore cells of Dictyostelium discoideum and Dictyostelium mucoroides using monoclonal antibodies.

A method was developed to obtain frozen sections of paraformaldehyde-fixed Dictyostelium slugs. These sections were ideal for studies using monoclonal antibodies. Two different monoclonal antibodies were used to recognize specific antigens on the surface of D. discoideum prespore cells by fluorescence microscopy. Neither of the two monoclonal antibodies bound to D. discoideum prestalk cells. D. mucoroides, a closely related species to D. discoideum, failed to bind either monoclonal antibody to its prespore cells. These results contrast with those obtained with either D. mucoroides [1] or D. discoideum [2] polyspecific antisera.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Anti-leukemic activities of Dictyostelium secondary metabolites: a novel aromatic metabolite, 4-methyl-5-n-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol, isolated from Dictyostelium mucoroides suppresses cell growth in human leukemia K562 and HL-60 cells.

It has previously been shown that DIF-1, a differentiation-inducing factor of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum, possesses antitumor activities in mammalian tumor cells and that neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells can be induced with furanodictines (FDs), aminosugar analogs found in D. discoideum, or dictyoglucosamines (DGs), N-acetyl glucosamine derivatives (DG-A from D. purpureum and DG-B from D. discoideum). Thus, cellular slime molds are attractive natural resources that may provide valuable lead compounds to be utilized in the field of pharmacology and medicine. In this study, we have isolated a novel aromatic compound, 4-methyl-5-n-pentylbenzene-1,3-diol (MPBD), from fruiting bodies of the cellular slime mold D. mucoroides and assessed the in vitro antiproliferative activities of MPBD, FDs, and DGs in human leukemia K562 and HL-60 cells. MPBD at 20-80 microM dose-dependently suppressed cell growth in both K562 and HL-60 cells. While FDs at 10-80 microM did not affect cell growth, DGs at 10-40 microM dose-dependently suppressed cell growth in the cells. Although we failed to find the roles of FDs and DGs in the original organisms, MPBD at 5-20 microM was found to promote stalk cell formation in D. discoideum. The present results indicate that MPBD, DGs or their derivatives may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer and confirm our expectations regarding cellular slime molds as drug resources.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Dictyostelium discoideum: a genetic model system for the study of professional phagocytes. Profilin, phosphoinositides and the lmp gene family in Dictyostelium.

Profilin is a key regulator of actin polymerization, and plays a pivotal role at the interface of the phosphoinositide signal transduction pathway and the cytoskeleton. Recent evidence suggests the involvement of profilin in the regulation of phagocytosis and macropinocytosis, and the transport along the endosomal pathway. Disruption of profilin leads to a complex phenotype that includes abnormal cytokinesis, a block in development and defects in the endosomal pathway. Macropinocytosis, fluid phase efflux and secretion of lysosomal enzymes were reduced, whereas the rate of phagocytosis was increased as compared to wild-type cells. The lmpA gene, a homolog of the CD36/LIMPII family, was identified as a suppressor for most of the profilin-minus defects. This gene encodes an integral membrane protein, it localizes to lysosomes and macropinosomes, and binds to phosphoinositides. Even though phosphatidylinositol lipids constitute only a small fraction of total lipids in the membranes of eukaryotic cells, they play an important role in vesicle transport, signal transduction and cytoskeletal regulation. Disruption of lmpA in wild-type cells resulted in defects in fluid phase efflux and macropinocytosis, but not in phagocytosis. The discovery and initial characterization of two additional members of the CD36/LIMPII family in Dictyostelium, lmpB and lmpC, that exhibit intriguing differences in developmental regulation and their putative sorting signals, suggests that a set of lysosomal integral membrane proteins contribute to the crosstalk between vesicles and cytoskeletal proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Two ras genes in Dictyostelium minutum show high sequence homology, but different developmental regulation from Dictyostelium discoideum rasD and rasG genes.

The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum expresses five ras genes at different stages of development. One of them, DdrasD is expressed during postaggregative development and transcription is induced by extracellular cAMP. A homologue of DdrasD, the DdrasG gene, is expressed exclusively during vegetative growth. We cloned two ras homologues Dmras1 and Dmras2 from the primitive species D. minutum, which show high homology to DdrasD and DdrasG and less homology to the other Ddras genes. In contrast to the DdrasD and DdrasG genes, both the Dmras1 and Dmras2 genes are expressed during the entire course of development. The expression levels are low during growth, increase at the onset of starvation and do not decrease until fruiting bodies have formed. Expression of neither Dmras1 or Dmras2 is regulated by cAMP. So even though the high degree of homology between the ras genes of different species suggests conservation of function, this function is apparently not associated with a specific developmental stage.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Dictyopyrones, novel alpha-pyronoids isolated from Dictyostelium spp., promote stalk cell differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Dictyopyrones A and B (DpnA and B), whose function(s) is not known, were isolated from fruiting bodies of Dictyostelium discoideum. In the present study, to assess their function(s), we examined the effects of Dpns on in vitro cell differentiation in D. discoideum monolayer cultures with cAMP. Dpns at 1-20 microM promoted stalk cell formation to some extent in the wild-type strain V12M2. Although Dpns by themselves could hardly induce stalk cell formation in a differentiation-inducing factor (DIF)-deficient strain HM44, both of them dose-dependently promoted DIF-1-dependent stalk cell formation in the strain. In the sporogenous strain HM18, Dpns at 1-20 microM suppressed spore formation and promoted stalk cell formation in a dose-dependent manner. Analogs of Dpns were less effective in affecting cell differentiation in both HM44 and HM18 cells, indicating that the activity of Dpns should be chemical structure specific. It was also shown that DpnA at 2-20 microM dose-dependently suppressed spore formation induced with 8-bromo cAMP and promoted stalk cell formation in V12M2 cells. Interestingly, it was shown by the use of RT-PCR that DpnA at 10 microM slightly promoted both prespore- and prestalk-specific gene expressions in an early phase of V12M2 and HM18 in vitro differentiation. The present results suggest that Dpns may have functions (1) to promote both prespore and prestalk cell differentiation in an early stage of development and (2) to suppress spore formation and promote stalk cell formation in a later stage of development in D. discoideum.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Expression of CSA-hm2 fusion in Dictyostelium discoideum under the control of the Dictyostelium ras promoter reveals functional muscarinic receptors.

We have expressed the human m2 muscarinic receptor gene in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Expression under the control of the constitutive actin 6 promoter without a D. discoideum leader peptide results in cells which seem to respond to muscarinic agonists initially, but which quickly revert to non responding cells only after a few generations. However, when expressing the hm2 gene as a fusion gene together with the CSA leader peptide under the control of the regulated D. discoideum ras promoter cells are obtained which express functional muscarinic M2 receptors in a stable manner. As expected from the typical regulation of the ras promoter, M2 receptors are expressed only during development. In ligand binding assays these heterologously expressed receptors show binding characteristics similar to authentic M2 receptors.

Animals↗