The Dictyostelium MAP kinase kinase DdMEK1 regulates chemotaxis and is essential for chemoattractant-mediated activation of guanylyl cyclase.
We have identified a MAP kinase kinase (DdMEK1) that is required for proper aggregation in Dictyostelium. Null mutations produce extremely small aggregate sizes, resulting in the formation of slugs and terminal fruiting bodies that are significantly smaller than those of wild-type cells. Time-lapse video microscopy and in vitro assays indicate that the cells are able to produce cAMP waves that move through the aggregation domains. However, these cells are unable to undergo chemotaxis properly during aggregation in response to the chemoattractant cAMP or activate guanylyl cyclase, a known regulator of chemotaxis in Dictyostelium. The activation of guanylyl cyclase in response to osmotic stress is, however, normal. Expression of putative constitutively active forms of DdMEK1 in a ddmek1 null background is capable, at least partially, of complementing the small aggregate size defect and the ability to activate guanylyl cyclase. However, this does not result in constitutive activation of guanylyl cyclase, suggesting that DdMEK1 activity is necessary, but not sufficient, for cAMP activation of guanylyl cyclase. Analysis of a temperature-sensitive DdMEK1 mutant suggests that DdMEK1 activity is required throughout aggregation at the time of guanylyl cyclase activation, but is not essential for proper morphogenesis during the later multicellular stages. The activation of the MAP kinase ERK2, which is essential for chemoattractant activation of adenylyl cyclase, is not affected in ddmek1 null strains, indicating that DdMEK1 does not regulate ERK2 and suggesting that at least two independent MAP kinase cascades control aggregation in Dictyostelium.
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Department of Biology, Center for Molecular Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0634, USA.
Gamper
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Firtel
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism*; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017354:Point Mutation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; C107487:DdMEK1 protein, Dictyostelium discoideum; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase