Dictyostelium discoideum cytoskeleton

As described in Box 11-C, the ameboid cells of the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum are attracted to nutrients such as folic acid during their growth stage. Later, as the cells undergo developmental changes they become attracted by pulses of cyclic AMP.330 Occupancy of 7-helix receptors for cAMP on the outer plasma membrane appears to induce methylation of both proteins and phospholipids and a rise in cytosolic Ca2+ and changes in the cytoskeleton that result in preferential extension of the actin-rich pseudopods toward the chemoattractant.331... 

Varnum-Finney, B., Voss, E., and SoU, D. R. (1987) Frequency and orientation of pseudopod formation of Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae chemotaxing in a spatial gradient further evidence for a temporal mechanism. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 8, 18-26... 

Rifldn, J.L. (2001). Folate reception by vegetative Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae distribution of receptors and trafficking of ligand. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 48,121-129. 

Varnum Finney, B., Schroeder, N.A. and SoU, D.R. (1988). Adaptation in the motility response to cAMP in Dictyostelium discoideum. Cell Motd. Cytoskeleton 9, 9-16. 

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