(G-3375) and the National Institutes of Health (C-2119(C 4)), U S. Public Health Service. 1 Harper, R. A., "Morphogenesis in Dictyostelium," Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, 53, 229-268 (1926). 2 Sussman, Maurice, "The origin of cellular heterogeneity in the slime molds, Dictyosteliaceae," J. 1xp. Zool., 118, 407-417 (1951). 3 Sussman, M., "The biology of the cellular slime molds," Ann. Rev. Microbiol.,...

We have identified a developmentally repressed large-subunit ribosomal protein gene of Dictyostelium discoideum based on sequence similarity to other ribosomal proteins. Protein rpl7 is homologous to large subunit ribosomal proteins from the rat and possibly to Mycoplasma capricolum and Escherichia coli, but is not similar to three sequenced ribosomal proteins in Dictyostelium. The rpl7 gene is...

During normal development, cell elimination [1,2] occurs by programmed cell death (PCD) [3], of which apoptosis [4] is the best known morphological type. Activation of cysteine proteases termed caspases [5] is required in many instances of animal PCD [6-9], but its role outside the animal kingdom is as yet unknown. PCD occurs during developmental stages in the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideu...

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL) are a group of inherited, severe neurodegenerative disorders also known as Batten disease. Juvenile NCL (JNCL) is caused by recessive loss-of-function mutations in CLN3, which encodes a transmembrane protein that regulates endocytic pathway trafficking, though its primary function is not yet known. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is increasing...

Francisella bacteria cause severe disease in both vertebrates and invertebrates and include one of the most infectious human pathogens. Mammalian cell lines have mainly been used to study the mechanisms by which Francisella manipulates its host to replicate within a large variety of hosts and cell types, including macrophages. Here, we describe the establishment of a genetically and biochemical...

Diese Dissertation wurde selbständig und ohne unerlaubte Hilfsmittel angefertigt. (2005). The Diaphanous-related formin dDia2 is required for the formation and maintenance of filopodia. (2006). Characterisation of the Ste20-like kinase Krs1 of Dictyostelium discoideum. Eur. (2003) STE20-like kinases and their role in the actin cytoskeleton in Dictyostelium discoideum. The Ste20-like kinase DST1...

Cell-type specific genes were recognized by interrogating microarrays carrying Dictyostelium gene fragments with probes prepared from fractions enriched in prestalk and prespore cells. Cell-type specific accumulation of mRNA from 17 newly identified genes was confirmed by Northern analyses. DNA microarrays carrying 690 targets were used to determine expression profiles during development. The p...

dictyBase (http://dictybase.org) is the model organism database (MOD) for the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. The unique biology and phylogenetic position of Dictyostelium offer a great opportunity to gain knowledge of processes not characterized in other organisms. The recent completion of the 34 MB genome sequence, together with the sizable scientific literature using Dictyostelium as...

During the development of Dictyostelium discoideum single cells aggregate to form a multicellular organism. The change from the single cell state to multicellularity is mediated by chemotactic cell movement and intercellular adhesion. Dictyostelium represents a side branch in the evolution of multicellular organization in eukaryotes. Therefore, the general importance of any work done in Dictyos...

The expression of ras-related protein in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is developmentally regulated. It was previously reported that Dictyostelium possesses a single ras gene (Ddras) that is maximally expressed during the pseudoplasmodial stage of development. We have isolated a series of cDNA clones derived from a second ras gene, DdrasG. It encodes a protein that is very si...