Expression of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in prespore cells is sufficient to induce spore cell differentiation in Dictyostelium

The activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is required for proper development at several stages during the Dictyostelium life cycle. We present evidence that activation of PKA is rate-limiting for the differentiation of prespore cells to spores and that PKA activation may be the development...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1994-10, Vol.91 (22), p.10561-10565
Main Authors: Mann, S.K.O. (University of California, San Diego, CA.), Richardson, D.L, Lee, S, Kimmel, A.R, Firtel, R.A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ADENOSINE MONOPHOSPHATE
ADENOSINMONOFOSFATO
Animals
Blotting, Northern
Botany
Cell aggregates
Cell differentiation
Cell lines
Cells
Cellular biology
Cellular differentiation
Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase - analysis
Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase - biosynthesis
Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases - biosynthesis
Developmental biology
DICTYOSTELIUM
Dictyostelium - cytology
Dictyostelium - enzymology
Dictyostelium - physiology
DIFERENCIACION CELULAR
DIFFERENCIATION CELLULAIRE
Enzyme Induction
ESPORAS
ESPORULACION
EXPRESION GENICA
EXPRESSION DES GENES
GENE
Gene Expression
GENES
Genes, Fungal
Genetic Vectors
Lymphocytes
Macromolecular Substances
Plant reproduction
PROTEINA QUINASA
PROTEINE KINASE
Proteins
RNA, Fungal - analysis
RNA, Fungal - metabolism
Slugs
SPORE
Spores
Spores, Fungal
SPORULATION
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Summary:The activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) is required for proper development at several stages during the Dictyostelium life cycle. We present evidence that activation of PKA is rate-limiting for the differentiation of prespore cells to spores and that PKA activation may be the developmental trigger for sporulation. Strains that overexpress the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of PKA (PKAcat) or lack a functional regulatory subunit (rdeC strains) undergo rapid, heterochronic development. We show that overexpression of PKAcat in prespore cells is sufficient to directly induce expression of the spore maturation marker spiA and differentiation to spores, in a cell-autonomous manner. Moreover, overexpression of PKAcat in prespore cells can bypass a mutation that blocks an earlier developmental step to induce spiA expression. Our results suggest that the regulatory pathway in prespore cells between the activation of PKA and spiA induction/spore maturation is quite short and that PKAcat expression in prespore cells may mediate spore differentiation at the level of transcription. This induction of sporulation requires the prior activation of the prespore cell pathway. In addition, we show that beta-galactosidase activity expressed from a PKAcat promoter/lacZ reporter construct is highly enriched in the anterior prestalk A region during the tipped aggregate, slug, and early culminant stages and that this pattern switches abruptly to a prespore pattern at the time of spore maturation, supporting the proposed role of PKA in this process
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.91.22.10561