Molecular basis of localized responses during chemotaxis in amoebae and leukocytes.
Free-living amoebae as well as mammalian leukocytes sense chemoattractants with seven helix receptors linked to G-proteins. The cells respond by extending pseudopods and moving in the direction of the highest concentration. Recent studies using GFP-tagged proteins in Dictyostelium have shown that the directional response becomes sharply localized downstream of the receptors and G-proteins but upstream of the actin cytoskeleton. These studies together with the isolation novel genes by insertional mutagenesis in Dictyostelium are leading to a new understanding of chemotaxis in eucaryotic cells.
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Department of Biological Chemistry, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
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D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction
D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins