title: Calcium levels correlate with cell cycle phase and affect the level of the cyclin B transcript in Dictyostelium discoideum.
abstract: In pre-aggregation amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum, phenotypic differences with respect to cellular Ca2+ and cell cycle phases are known to bias post-aggregative cell-type choice. Using chlortetracycline fluorescence as an indicator, we found that cellular Ca2+ is highest at the S phase of the cell cycle. Upon increasing the level of Ca2+ with the help of the calcium ionophore A23187, there is a significant decrease in the cyclin B (clb1) mRNA level; the cdc2 mRNA level shows a marginal decrease. These results suggest that the effect of Ca2+ and the cell cycle on cell fate could be exerted at the level of transcription, or message stability, of specific genes.
authors.affiliation: Developmental Biology and Genetics Laboratory, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azhar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krefft
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saran
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weeks
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nanjundiah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000235:genetics*; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019926:Cyclin B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase; D002118:Calcium