Cell-cell adhesion molecules in Dictyostelium.
Multicellularity in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is achieved by the expression of two types of cell-cell adhesion sites. The EDTA-sensitive adhesion sites are expressed very early in the development cycle and a surface glycoprotein of 24,000 Da is known to be responsible for these sites. The EDTA-resistant contact sites begin to accumulate on the cell surface at the aggregation stage of development. Several glycoproteins have been implicated in the EDTA-resistant type of cell-cell binding and the best characterized one has an Mr of 80,000 (gp80). gp80 mediates cell-cell binding via homophilic interaction and its cell binding site has been mapped to an octapeptide sequence. The mechanism by which gp80 mediates cell-cell adhesion will be discussed.
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Charles H. Best Institute, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000502:physiology*; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000187:drug effects; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D004492:Edetic Acid