Abstract
Dictyostelium discoideum belongs to a group of multicellular life forms that can also exist for long periods as single cells. This ability to shift between uni- and multicellularity makes the group ideal for studying the genetic changes that occurred at the crossroads between uni- and multicellular life. In this Primer, I discuss the mechanisms that control multicellular development in Dictyostelium discoideum and reconstruct how some of these mechanisms evolved from a stress response in the unicellular ancestor.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 387-396 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Development |
| Volume | 138 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Feb 2011 |
Keywords
- Evolution of multicellularity
- Social amoeba
- Encystation
- Sporulation
- Dictyostelium
- Dependent protein kinase
- Differentiation inducing factor
- Adenylyl-cyclase-G
- Social amebas
- Terminal differentiation
- Cell differentiation
- Gene expression
- Cyclic AMP
- Prespore differentiation
- Molecular phylogeny