Biochemical and genetic characterization of a rapid-development strain in Dictyostelium discoideum

A prespore-specific gene of Dictyostelium discoideum encodes the small subunit of ribonucleotide reductase

We have isolated the gene. rnrB, that encodes the ribonucleotide reductase small subunit of Dictyostelium discoideum. The deduced amino acid sequence of rnrB exhibits about 60% sequence identity with its homologues in other eukaryotes. As demonstrated by RNA blot analysis the rnrB transcript is detected in growing cells and decreases dramatically at the onset of development. The rnrB transcript reappears after the cells have formed multicellular aggregates. To further examine the pattern of expression, we have fused the rnrB promoter and part of its coding sequence to lacZ. The transgenic strain bearing such a reporter construct expresses the fusion gene with a biphasic profile, which is indistinguishable from that of the endogenous rnrB. The multicellular aggregates of Dictyostelium are differentiated along the anterior-posterior axis. Cells in the anterior give rise to the stalk of the fruiting body while cells in the posterior are precursors of spores. Results from histochemical staining show that beta-galactosidase activity is detected exclusively in the posterior two-thirds of the aggregates. These data suggest that rnrB is expressed in prespore cells during postaggregative development and in vegetative cells.