A New Collection of Thermosensitive Endocytosis Mutants in the Cellular Slime Mold Dictyostelium discoideum

ABSTRACT. We used a photoactivatable fluid-phase marker to isolate a new collection of thermosensitive endocytosis mutants in the cellular slime mold Dicfyostelium discoideum. All the strains were thermosensitive for growth on bacteria or axenic medium at 27° C. Initial rates of endocytosis rapidly decreased upon incubation at the restrictive temperature, but surprisingly most of the strains showed a transient recovery of activity with prolonged exposure to 27° C. Endocytosis and exocytosis activities were uncoupled for some of the cell lines at 27° C whereas the others had to be shifted to 29° C. Further molecular analysis of these mutants could lead to the discovery of new proteins involved in endocytosis and its regulation.