title: A flow fluorimetric analysis of the cell cycle during growth and differentiation inDictyostelium discoideum.
abstract: We report a flow fluorimetric analysis of the DNA content of cells and nuclei from vegetative populations and various developmental stages of the cellular slime mouldDictyostelium discoideum using the dyes Hoechst 33258 and mithramycin. Nuclei from all of these populations showed an identical single DNA-content peak, indicating that most vegetative cells and most cells in all developmental stages are in one phase of the cell cycle. Our own data and findings in the literature indicate that this phase is G2. On the other hand, we also found that various stages, subpopulations of cells at early stages and the different differentiated cell types in the slug stage differ in DNA content per cell. Any particular population typically has one major peak of DNA content, with a modal value that is characteristic for the cell type and for the developmental stage. These differences presumably reflect differences in mitochondrial DNA content per cell.
authors.affiliation: Hubrecht Laboratory, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Antony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Durston
authors.affiliation: Zoologisches Institut der Universität München, Luisenstrasse 14, 8000, Munich 2, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelis J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Weijer
authors.affiliation: Afdeling Celbiologie I, Erasmus Universiteit, Postbus 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Jongkind
authors.affiliation: Afdeling Celbiologie I, Erasmus Universiteit, Postbus 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verkerk
authors.affiliation: Hubrecht Laboratory, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ans
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Timmermans
authors.affiliation: Hubrecht Laboratory, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584 CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Te Kulve
keywords: Cell cycle; Dictyostelium; Differentiation