PPRAS1PPRAS2 AND PPRAP1 GENES, MEMBERS OF A RAS GENE FAMILY FROM THE TRUE SLIME MOLD PHYSARUM POLYCEPHALUM ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY REGULATED
The expression patterns of two true ras genes, Ppras1 and Ppras2and one rap gene, Pprap1were examined in four Physarum polycephalum developmental stages: uninucleate amoebae, plasmodia (multinucleate syncytia), spherules (a vegetative, dormant stage) and fruiting bodies. Ppras1 and Pprap1 are expressed in all stages examined with the maximum levels of their transcripts in amoebae and fruiting bodies, respectively, and the minimum levels in plasmodia, whereas the Ppras2 transcript is only detectable in amoebae and fruiting bodies. The results obtained indicate that P. polycephalum is an organism possessing a developmentally regulated ras gene family and presents a convenient system to study the role of ras/rap genes in control of growth and differentiation of lower eukaryotic organisms.Copyright 1997 Academic Press Limited Copyright 1997Academic Press Limited
Kozlowski
P
Institute of Biochemistry, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, Warsaw, 02 089, Poland
Trzcinska-danielewicz
J
Urbanczyk
A
Toczko
K