Neurotransmitter receptor homologues of Dictyostelium discoideum.
The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a genetically amenable eukaryotic cell which displays many animal cell traits and has been used to study cellular signalling for over 30 years. Recently studies have highlighted the roles that molecules associated with synaptic transmission in animals, such as glutamate, GABA and ATP play in cellular differentiation and homeostasis in this simple organism. This short review summarises the evidence for the existence of both ionotropic and metabotropic families of neurotransmitter receptors in Dictyostelium.
Fountain
Samuel J
SJ
Institute of Membrane & Systems Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. s.j.fountain@leeds.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004023:Dictyostelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter