Short Communication
Induction of recA in prespore cells in Dictyostelium discoideum slug following UV-light irradiation
2009 年 42 巻 1 号 p. 13-16
詳細
2009 年 42 巻 1 号 p. 13-16
Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae grow as unicellular microorganisms until nutrients are depleted, while they aggregate and form multicellular structures under a starved condition. We established D. discoideum expressing a green fluorescent protein (GFP) under control of an upstream sequence of the gene for RecA, a mitochondria-localizing DNA repair enzyme. Multi-cellular structures formed by the strain were irradiated by 50 J/m2 UV light (254 nm) and GFP expression was analyzed. Fluorescence of GFP was observed not in the prestalk cells but in the prespore cells in the multicellular structures. The prestalk cells are programmed to die, while the prespore cells differentiate into viable spores. D. discoideum is thought to repair DNA damage in the prespore cells and maintain genomic integrity using a limited energy source.
