Spore coat is altered in modB glycosylation mutants of Dictyostelium discoideum.

The modB mutation eliminates specific carbohydrate epitopes from glycoproteins which are expressed primarily in prespore and spore cells of differentiating Dictyostelium discoideum. Spores formed by the mutant show several phenotypes. Whereas mutant spores germinate efficiently after heat activation, they germinate poorly after urea activation. Following germination, at least one glycosylation-defective glycoprotein is cleaved, and the larger fragment is released in soluble form from the spore coat. However, an earlier difference in the spore coat can be traced back to the nongerminated spore coat, as detected by the elutability of protein from intact spores by chemical extraction. An altered character of the pregermination spore coat is also suggested by increased labeling by a fluorescent lectin which binds to its interior. The findings are consistent with a change in the character of certain molecular contacts leading to altered characteristics of the mutant spore coat, which are specific because they are distinctive from changes observed in another glycosylation mutant which affects a different epitope.     

Sulfate suicide selection of Dictyostelium discoideum mutants defective in protein glycosylation.

The assembly and processing of glycoprotein-linked oligosaccharides in Dictyostelium discoideum has been shown to generate a wide array of glycan structures which undergo dramatic developmental regulation. As late steps in processing of these oligosaccharides involve sulfation, a sulfate suicide selection procedure was developed to select for temperature-sensitive glycoprotein-processing mutants. Of 673 clones derived from the survivors of suicide selection, 99 were classified by replica-plating fluorography as temperature sensitive for sulfate transport or incorporation. Of these, 74 were unable to complete the developmental program to the fruiting body stage at the restrictive temperature, 29 being blocked in some aspect of aggregation and 45 being blocked at some postaggregation stage. Quantitative metabolic labeling experiments with representative clones showed that they incorporated wild-type levels of [35S]methionine but reduced levels of sulfate at the restrictive temperature. The specific incorporation patterns in the mutants suggest that distinct oligosaccharide-processing steps are involved in different developmental events.     

EDTA treatment alters protein glycosylation in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

We have found that treatment of cells with EDTA resulted in the accumulation of lower molecular weight forms of two cell-type-specific glycoproteins. These new glycoproteins lacked a developmentally regulated glycoantigen defined by monoclonal antibody 54.2. Since EDTA dissociated the cells, the possible involvement of cell separation was tested by immobilizing cells in soft agarose. Glycoantigen expression on these proteins was found to be dependent on cAMP and high oxygen tension but not on cell contact, and was reversibly sensitive to EDTA regardless of the state of cell association. The EDTA effect was mimicked by other soluble, but not particulate, membrane impermeable chelators, could be competed by Zn2+ better than Mg2+, and appeared to involve an intracellular mechanism. Studies with [14C]EDTA showed that EDTA equilibrated with a cellular compartment in a temperature-dependent, Zn2+-insensitive fashion with half-time kinetics of loading and unloading of 30-40 min. If the compartment was assumed to be labeled with the same concentration of EDTA as was present extracellularly, calculations showed that its volume was circa 2% of the total cell volume. This compartment probably consists of intracellular vesicles based on the similar labeling of this compartment with a bulk fluid phase marker, inulin. The data suggest that this step in glycosylation, which was found to be delayed 1 or more hours subsequent to protein synthesis, involves an intracellular, transition metal ion-dependent process which can be modulated by chelators entering the cell through the endocytic pathway.     

Variable site-occupancy classification of N-linked glycosylation using artificial neural networks

A novel neural-network-based model has been developed for the prediction of N-linked glycosylation characteristics related to glycosylation site-occupancy. Intracellular oligosaccharide transfer to a polypeptide is known to be either robust or dependent upon culture conditions during pharmaceutical production. This glycan attachment is classified by the model as robust or variable and is based on an input of the polypeptide primary sequence around the site of glycosylation. The glycosylation model utilizes multiple recurrent neural networks followed by a perceptron classifier. The input length of the polypeptide chain around the site of glycosylation (glycosylation window) was optimized through multiple independent training sessions. Incorporation of five residues prior (n - 5) to the site of glycosylation (n) and four residues beyond (n + 4) the glycan attachment site led to optimal network performance. The size of the glycosylation window for site-occupancy determination is much larger than has been previously reported. This model was developed to evaluate the effects of theoretical polypeptide mutations on glycosylation site-occupancy characteristics. Following correct prediction of the model testing data set, 20 independent networks were used to predict site-occupancy characteristics of wild-type and mutants of the rabies virus glycoprotein (rgp). Simulation results strongly correlated with previously published experimental results (Kasturi, L.; Hegang, C.; Shakin-Eshleman, S. H. Regulation of N-linked core glycosylation: use of a site-directed mutagenesis approach to identify Asn-Xaa-Ser/Thr sequons that are poor oligosacchride acceptors. Biochem. J. 1997, 323, 415-419. Mellquist, J. L.; Kasturi, L.; Spitalnik, S. L.; Shakin-Eshleman, S. H. The amino acid following an Asn-X-Ser/Thr sequon is an important determinant of N-linked core glycosylation efficiency. Biochemistry 1998, 37, 6833-6837). Further simulations on purely theoretical sequences suggested that influences of charged residues were a subset of multiple mechanisms in the determination of glycosylation site-occupancy.     

The effect of altered glycosylation on the characteristics of lysosomal trehalase in Dictyostelium discoideum

The trehalase I of Dictyostelium discoideum exhibits characteristics of a typical lysosomal enzyme. The enzyme is glycosylated and carries a number of negatively charged components which cause it to be a very acidic protein. Strain M31, bears a recessive mutation mod A which alters the post-translational modification of several lysosomal enzymes including trehalase. A direct consequence of this mutation is a reduction of the negatively charged components on lysosomal enzymes. This reduction in negativity is observed in the altered chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviour of M31 trehalase.Trehalase I is synthesized during spore germination. Tunicamycin prevents the formation of recoverable trehalase from germinating spores but does not interfere with the germination process. These results indicate that the trehalase I synthesized during spore germination is not required for the successful completion of spore germination. Minor modification in the glycosylation, as seen in strain M31, does not affect the enzymatic activity. However, when glycosylation is greatly reduced by tunicamycin the enzyme is inactive.     

Tissue specific O-linked glycosylation of the neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM)

We have shown previously that the predominant N-CAM isoform in skeletal muscle myotubes contains as a result of alternative splicing a novel domain (MSD1) in its extracellular region. Here we show that this region represents a site for O-linked carbohydrate attachment. The lipid tailed N-CAM in myotubes was found to bind peanut lectin while the transmembrane isoform from myoblasts lacking MSD1 did not. In addition, N-CAM from a variety of neural sources failed to bind the lectin. Analysis of 3T3 fibroblasts transfected with various N-CAM cDNAs, showed that peanut lectin binding was correlated specifically with the expression of the MSD1 region. The oligosaccharides isolated from a purified preparation of myotube N-CAM were shown to contain an O-linked oligosaccharide whose core structure was a sialylated version of Gal beta 1----3GalNac which is the structure recognized specifically by peanut lectin. These data provide the first evidence for the expression of O-linked carbohydrate on any N-CAM isoform and more specifically target this oligosaccharide to the MSD1 region of myotube N-CAM.     

Evidence for the existence of two types of cAMP binding sites in aggregating cells of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Inhibition by dithiothreitol of the cell-bound phosphodiesterase has allowed the measurement of cAMP binding to aggregation-competent Dictyostelium discoidium amebae. Two classes of binding sites were demonstrated: Type 1, of low affinity (Kd approximately 160 nM) and high capacity (Ro approximately 1 X 10(5) sites per cell); and Type 2, of high affinity (Kd approximately 9 nM) but low capacity (Ro approximately 1.5 X 10(4) sites per cell). Both sites are developmentally regulated and are expressed during aggregation. The specificities of both sites are consistent with the specificity observed in vivo for the chemotactic response.     

Characterization of endosome-endosome fusion in a cell-free system using Dictyostelium discoideum.

An in vitro endosome fusion assay using Dictyostelium discoideum is described. The method requires endocytosis of anti-dinitrophenol (DNP) IgG or DNP-derivitized beta-glucuronidase into two sets of cells. After homogenizing the cells, the vesicles were mixed, and fusion was measured by quantitating immune complex formation between DNP-beta-glucuronidase and anti-DNP IgG. Fusion was dependent upon ATP, temperature, pH, ionic strength, and cytosol and sensitive to detergent, dilution, trypsin, N-ethylmaleimide, and guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate. Although weak bases, ionophores, hadacidin, [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid, and caffeine inhibit endocytosis in vivo, these reagents had no affect on in vitro endosome fusion. Comparison of Dictyostelium with mammalian cells showed differences in the temperature, pH, and salt requirements for fusion, possibly reflecting differences in the life-styles of various cell types. Like mammalian cells, Dictyostelium required GTP-binding protein(s) and an N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor for endosome fusion. Thus, the mechanism driving endosome fusion may have been conserved throughout evolution. Electron microscopic studies confirmed in vitro endosome fusion and revealed endosomes were being engulfed by other endosomes, resulting in formation of multivesicular elements (i.e. autophagic vesicles). This system may be useful for characterizing mutations, evolution, and developmental regulation along the endocytic pathway.     

Identification of the single gene for calmodulin in Dictyostelium discoideum.

We report the isolation and sequence determination of a cDNA containing most of the coding sequence for Dictyostelium discoideum calmodulin. The cloned cDNA was used as a probe to examine the complexity of D. discoideum genomic DNA. These studies indicated that D. discoideum cells possess a single calmodulin gene.     

Purification and the histones of Dictyostelium discoideum chromatin.

Dictyostelium chromatin has been purified from nuclei in high yield by differential centrifugation and nuclease cleaving. Its chemical composition has been assayed, and its histones have been analyzed by gel electrophoresis, peptide fingerprints, amino acid composition, and ion-exchange chromatography. The mass ratios of DNA/RNA/histone/nonhistone are 1.0:0.18:0.98:1.02. There are four histones including one unusual histone, H7, which is the most abundant histone in the slime mold. The H4-like protein is the most conserved protein, while the other histones show both similarities and differences with mammalian histones.     

Genetic exchanges in the macrocysts of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Crosses were made between strains of Dictyostelium discoideum involving two drug resistance markers and the mating-type locus. Over 6000 progeny from 263 individual germinated macrocysts from four single-factor crosses, five two-factor crosses and one three-factor cross were characterized. In most cases the progeny from a single macrocyst were of one genotype, although in the population of macrocysts from any two-factor cross all possible parental and recombinant genotypes were recovered. There was no evidence of linkage between any of the markers examined. No selection against progeny carrying the methanol or the cycloheximide resistance markers was found in two-factor crosses, but selection against progeny carrying both resistance markers was found in the three-factor cross. Germination of macrocysts in all crosses was poor, only once exceeding 2.5% of the total macrocyst population. A variety of crosses and back-crosses with different parental strains indicated that germination might be influenced by both extrinsic (environmental) and multiple genetic factors. About 10% of the macrocysts yielded progeny spores that were ambivalent in their mating reactions. After extensive recloning these populations could be resolved to the normal matA (formerly A1) and mata (formerly A2) mating-types and might therefore have represented aneuploids. The results obtained with D. discoideum macrocysts differ from those obtained with other cellular slime moulds--Dictyostelium mucoroides, Dictyostelium giganteum and Polysphondylium pallidum--and are reminiscent of the results reported for germinated zygospores of Phycomyces blakesleeanus.     

A model for cyclic AMP-chemoreceptor interaction in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Based on the chemotactic activity of approximately 50 different adenosine 3',5'-cyclic-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) derivatives with substitutions at the phosphate, ribose and adenine moieties, a model for the cyclic AMP-chemoreceptor interaction in Dictyostelium discoideum is proposed. In this model the cyclic AMP molecule is bound to the receptor by three hydrogen bonds at, respectively, the 3'-oxygen of the ribose and the 6-amino and the 7-nitrogen of the base, and possibly by one ionic interaction of the negatively charged phosphate group. The conformation of the adenine moiety is in the anti range and binds additionally to the receptor by hydrophobic interactions betueen its pi-electron system and a corresponding acceptor at the active site. Although this receptor clearly differs from that involved in protein kinase activation in higher organisms, the existence of striking similarities suggests a basic mechanism for cyclic AMP interaction conserved during evolution.     

Establishment of a transient expression system for Dictyostelium discoideum.

We have established a rapid and sensitive transient expression system for Dictyostelium discoideum. We constructed a gene fusion containing the promoter from the Dictyostelium Actin 15 gene fused to the firefly luciferase gene. The enzymatic activity of this gene fusion, expressed at very high levels in stable transformants, was measured to determine optimum conditions for transient expression using electroporation to introduce the DNA into cells. With these conditions, we show that a luciferase gene fusion driven by a prestalk, cell-type specific promoter from the pst-cathepsin gene expresses luciferase at the appropriate developmental stage. In addition, we present results suggesting that the system will be useful for expressing genes in non-axenic cell lines. Finally, we observe that electroporation is more efficient for obtaining stable transformations than the standard calcium phosphate procedure using extrachromosomally replicating shuttle vectors but less efficient for vectors that integrate into the Dictyostelium chromosomes.     

Efficient generation of gene knockout plasmids for Dictyostelium discoideum using one-step cloning

The amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a well-established model organism for studying numerous aspects of cellular and developmental functions. Its rather small (~34Mb) chromosomal genome and the high efficiency of gene disruption by homologous recombination have enabled researchers to dissect various specific gene functions. We describe here the use of one-step cloning for the fast and efficient generation of deletion vectors that are produced in a one-step reaction by inserting two PCR products into an organism-specific, generic acceptor system. This worked efficiently for all 16 tested constructs directed against genes in the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. Saving cost and time, the used protocol represents a significant advancement in the generation of such plasmids compared to the conventionally applied restriction enzyme/ligation approach. Using appropriate selection markers, similar systems could also be useful in other organisms, where genes can be knocked out by homologous recombination.     

Actin on disease--studying the pathobiology of cell motility using Dictyostelium discoideum

The actin cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells provides cell structure and organisation, and allows cells to generate forces against membranes. As such it is a central component of a variety of cellular structures involved in cell motility, cytokinesis and vesicle trafficking. In multicellular organisms these processes contribute towards embryonic development and effective functioning of cells of all types, most obviously rapidly moving cells like lymphocytes. Actin also defines and maintains the architecture of complex structures such as neuronal synapses and stereocillia, and is required for basic housekeeping tasks within the cell. It is therefore not surprising that misregulation of the actin cytoskeleton can cause a variety of disease pathologies, including compromised immunity, neurodegeneration, and cancer spread. Dictyostelium discoideum has long been used as a tool for dissecting the mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells migrate and chemotax, and recently it has gained precedence as a model organism for studying the roles of conserved pathways in disease processes. Dictyostelium's unusual lifestyle, positioned between unicellular and multicellular organisms, combined with ease of handling and strong conservation of actin regulatory machinery with higher animals, make it ideally suited for studying actin-related diseases. Here we address how research in Dictyostelium has contributed to our understanding of immune deficiencies and neurological defects in humans, and briefly discuss its future prospects for furthering our understanding of neurodegenerative disorders.     

Evidence for chemotaxis during sexual development in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Amoebae in mated cultures of Dictyostelium discoideum show oriented movement towards young aggregates, suggesting that cemotaxis is involved in macrocyst development. Amoebae also show directional movement towards midendocyte stages, indicating that as the macrocyst develops it continues to be a source of chemoattractant. These data are discussed in terms of our current knowledge about mating in the cellular slime moulds.