Dictyostelium discoideum: a model system for cell-cell interactions in development

Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the social amoeba Dictyostelium firmibasis

Dicytostelium firmibasis is a member of Dictyostelia, a group of social amoebae that upon starvation display aggregative multicellularity where the amoebae transition from uni- to multicellular life. The D. firmibasis genome assembly that is currently available is of limited use due to its low contiguity, large number of undetermined bases, and lack of annotations. Here we used Nanopore long read sequencing, complemented with Illumina sequencing, and developmental transcriptomics as well as small RNA-sequencing, to present a new, fully annotated, chromosome-level D. firmibasis genome assembly. The new assembly contains no undetermined bases, and consists mainly of six large contigs representing the chromosomes, as well as a complete mitochondrial genome. This new genome assembly will be a valuable tool, allowing comprehensive comparison to Dictyostelium discoideum, the dictyostelid genetically tractable model. Further, the new genome will be important for studies of evolutionary processes governing the transition from unicellular to multicellular organisms and will aid in the sequencing and annotation of other dictyostelids genomes, many of which are currently of poor quality.

Chemotaxis in heterogeneous environments: A multi-agent model of decentralized gathering past obstacles

Chemotaxis, cell migration in response to chemical gradients, is known to promote self-organization of microbiological populations. However, the modeling of chemotaxis in heterogeneous environments is still limited. This study analyzes a decentralized gathering process in environments with physical as well as chemical barriers, using a multi-agent model for Disctyostelium discoideum colonies. Employing a topology-independent metric to quantify the system evolution, we study dynamical features emerging from complex social interactions. The results show that obstacles may hamper the gathering process by altering the flux of chemical signals among amoebas, acting as local topological perturbations. We also find that a minimal set of agent's rules for robust gathering does not require explicit mechanisms for obstacle sensing and avoidance; moreover, random cell movements concur in preventing multiple stable clusters and improve the gathering efficacy. Hence, we speculate that chemotactic cells can avoid obstacles without needing specialized mechanisms: tradeoffs of social interactions and individual fluctuations are sufficient to guarantee the aggregation of the whole colony past numerous obstacles.

Pair Interactions of Self-Propelled SiO2-Pt Janus Colloids: Chemically Mediated Encounters

Driven by the necessity to achieve a thorough comprehension of the bottom-up fabrication process of functional materials, this experimental study investigates the pairwise interactions or collisions between chemically active SiO2-Pt Janus colloids. These collisions are categorized based on the Janus colloids' orientations before and after they make physical contact. In addition to the hydrodynamic interactions, the Janus colloids are also known to affect each other's chemical field, resulting in chemophoretic interactions, which depend on the degree of surface anisotropy in reactivity of Janus colloid and the solute-surface interaction at play. Our study reveals that these interactions lead to a noticeable decrease in particle speed and changes in orientation that correlate with the contact duration and yield different collision types. Distinct configurations of contact during collisions were found, whose mechanisms and likelihood are found to be dependent primarily on the chemical interactions. Such estimates of collision and their characterization in dilute suspensions shall have a key impact in determining the arrangement and time scales of dynamical structures and assemblies of denser suspensions and potentially the functional materials of the future.

The wide world of non-mammalian phospholipase D enzymes

Phospholipase D (PLD) hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) to produce free choline and the critically important lipid signaling molecule phosphatidic acid (PtdOH). Since the initial discovery of PLD activities in plants and bacteria, PLDs have been identified in a diverse range of organisms spanning the taxa. While widespread interest in these proteins grew following the discovery of mammalian isoforms, research into the PLDs of non-mammalian organisms has revealed a fascinating array of functions ranging from roles in microbial pathogenesis, to the stress responses of plants and the developmental patterning of flies. Furthermore, studies in non-mammalian model systems have aided our understanding of the entire PLD superfamily, with translational relevance to human biology and health. Increasingly, the promise for utilization of non-mammalian PLDs in biotechnology is also being recognized, with widespread potential applications ranging from roles in lipid synthesis, to their exploitation for agricultural and pharmaceutical applications.

Real-Time Spatiotemporal Measurement of Extracellular Signaling Molecules Using an Aptamer Switch-Conjugated Hydrogel Matrix

Cells rely on secreted signaling molecules to coordinate essential biological functions including development, metabolism, and immunity. Unfortunately, such signaling processes remain difficult to measure with sufficient chemical specificity and temporal resolution. To address this need, an aptamer-conjugated hydrogel matrix that enables continuous fluorescent measurement of specific secreted analytes - in two dimensions, in real-time is developed. As a proof of concept, real-time imaging of inter-cellular cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signals in Dictyostelium discoideum amoeba cells is performed. A set of aptamer switches that generate a rapid and reversible change in fluorescence in response to cAMP signals is engineered. By combining multiple switches with different dynamic ranges, measure cAMP concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude in a single experiment can be measured. These sensors are embedded within a biocompatible hydrogel on which cells are cultured and their cAMP secretions can be imaged using fluorescent microscopy. Using this aptamer-hydrogel material system, the first direct measurements of oscillatory cAMP signaling that correlate closely with previous indirect measurements are achieved. Using different aptamer switches, this approach can be generalized for measuring other secreted molecules to directly visualize diverse extracellular signaling processes and the biological effects that they trigger in recipient cells.

Pharmacological Evidence That Dictyostelium Differentiation-Inducing Factor 1 Promotes Glucose Uptake Partly via an Increase in Intracellular cAMP Content in Mouse 3T3-L1 Cells

Differentiation-inducing factor 1 (DIF-1) isolated from the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum can inhibit mammalian calmodulin-dependent cAMP/cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE1) in vitro. DIF-1 also promotes glucose uptake, at least in part, via a mitochondria- and AMPK-dependent pathway in mouse 3T3-L1 fibroblast cells, but the mechanism underlying this effect has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of DIF-1 on intracellular cAMP and cGMP levels, as well as the effects that DIF-1 and several compounds that increase cAMP and cGMP levels have on glucose uptake in confluent 3T3-L1 cells. DIF-1 at 20 μM (a concentration that promotes glucose uptake) increased the level of intracellular cAMP by about 20% but did not affect the level of intracellular cGMP. Neither the PDE1 inhibitor 8-methoxymethyl-3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine at 10-200 μM nor the broad-range PDE inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine at 40-400 μM had any marked effects on glucose uptake. The membrane-permeable cAMP analog 8-bromo-cAMP at 200-1000 μM significantly promoted glucose uptake (by 20-25%), whereas the membrane-permeable cGMP analog 8-bromo-cGMP at 3-100 μM did not affect glucose uptake. The adenylate cyclase activator forskolin at 1-10 μM promoted glucose uptake by 20-30%. Thus, DIF-1 may promote glucose uptake by 3T3-L1 cells, at least in part, via an increase in intracellular cAMP level.

Bio-friendly long-term subcellular dynamic recording by self-supervised image enhancement microscopy

Fluorescence microscopy has become an indispensable tool for revealing the dynamic regulation of cells and organelles. However, stochastic noise inherently restricts optical interrogation quality and exacerbates observation fidelity when balancing the joint demands of high frame rate, long-term recording and low phototoxicity. Here we propose DeepSeMi, a self-supervised-learning-based denoising framework capable of increasing signal-to-noise ratio by over 12 dB across various conditions. With the introduction of newly designed eccentric blind-spot convolution filters, DeepSeMi effectively denoises images with no loss of spatiotemporal resolution. In combination with confocal microscopy, DeepSeMi allows for recording organelle interactions in four colors at high frame rates across tens of thousands of frames, monitoring migrasomes and retractosomes over a half day, and imaging ultra-phototoxicity-sensitive Dictyostelium cells over thousands of frames. Through comprehensive validations across various samples and instruments, we prove DeepSeMi to be a versatile and biocompatible tool for breaking the shot-noise limit.

Derivatives of Differentiation-Inducing Factor 1 Differentially Control Chemotaxis and Stalk Cell Differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum

Differentiation-inducing factors 1 and 2 (DIF-1 and DIF-2) are small lipophilic signal molecules that induce stalk cell differentiation but differentially modulate chemotaxis toward cAMP in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum; DIF-1 suppresses chemotactic cell movement in shallow cAMP gradients, whereas DIF-2 promotes it. The receptor(s) for DIF-1 and DIF-2 have not yet been identified. We examined the effects of nine derivatives of DIF-1 on chemotactic cell movement toward cAMP and compared their chemotaxis-modulating activity and stalk cell differentiation-inducing activity in wild-type and mutant strains. The DIF derivatives differentially affected chemotaxis and stalk cell differentiation; for example, TM-DIF-1 suppressed chemotaxis and showed poor stalk-inducing activity, DIF-1(3M) suppressed chemotaxis and showed strong stalk-inducing activity, and TH-DIF-1 promoted chemotaxis. These results suggest that DIF-1 and DIF-2 have at least three receptors: one for stalk cell induction and two for chemotaxis modulation. In addition, our results show that the DIF derivatives can be used to analyze the DIF-signaling pathways in D. discoideum.

Self-cleaving peptides for expression of multiple genes in Dictyostelium discoideum

The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is a model for a wide range of biological processes including chemotaxis, cell-cell communication, phagocytosis, and development. Interrogating these processes with modern genetic tools often requires the expression of multiple transgenes. While it is possible to transfect multiple transcriptional units, the use of separate promoters and terminators for each gene leads to large plasmid sizes and possible interference between units. In many eukaryotic systems this challenge has been addressed through polycistronic expression mediated by 2A viral peptides, permitting efficient, co-regulated gene expression. Here, we screen the most commonly used 2A peptides, porcine teschovirus-1 2A (P2A), Thosea asigna virus 2A (T2A), equine rhinitis A virus 2A (E2A), and foot-and-mouth disease virus 2A (F2A), for activity in D. discoideum and find that all the screened 2A sequences are effective. However, combining the coding sequences of two proteins into a single transcript leads to notable strain-dependent decreases in expression level, suggesting additional factors regulate gene expression in D. discoideum that merit further investigation. Our results show that P2A is the optimal sequence for polycistronic expression in D. discoideum, opening up new possibilities for genetic engineering in this model system.

Dynamics of intracellular cGMP during chemotaxis in Dictyostelium cells

Cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) is a ubiquitous important second messenger involved in various physiological functions. Here, intracellular cGMP (cGMPi) was visualized in chemotactic Dictyostelium cells using the fluorescent probe, D-Green cGull. When wild-type cells were stimulated with a chemoattractant, fluorescence transiently increased, but guanylate cyclase-null cells did not show a change in fluorescence, suggesting that D-Green cGull is a reliable indicator of cGMPi. In the aggregation stage, the responses of cGMPi propagated in a wave-like fashion from the aggregation center. The oscillation of the cGMPi wave was synchronized almost in phase with those of other second messengers, such as the intracellular cAMP and Ca2+. The phases of these waves preceded those of the oscillations of actomyosin and cell velocity, suggesting that these second messengers are upstream of the actomyosin and chemotactic migration. An acute increase in cGMPi concentration released from membrane-permeable caged cGMP induced a transient shuttle of myosin II between the cytosol and cell cortex, suggesting a direct link between cGMP signaling and myosin II dynamics.

Understanding the Cell's Response to Chemical Signals: Utilisation of Microfluidic Technology in Studies of Cellular and Dictyostelium discoideum Chemotaxis

Cellular chemotaxis has been the subject of a variety of studies due to its relevance in physiological processes, disease pathogenesis, and systems biology, among others. The migration of cells towards a chemical source remains a closely studied topic, with the Boyden chamber being one of the earlier techniques that has successfully studied cell chemotaxis. Despite its success, diffusion chambers such as these presented a number of problems, such as the quantification of many aspects of cell behaviour, the reproducibility of procedures, and measurement accuracy. The advent of microfluidic technology prompted more advanced studies of cell chemotaxis, usually involving the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum (D. discoideum) as a model organism because of its tendency to aggregate towards chemotactic agents and its similarities to higher eukaryotes. Microfluidic technology has made it possible for studies to look at chemotactic properties that would have been difficult to observe using classic diffusion chambers. Its flexibility and its ability to generate consistent concentration gradients remain some of its defining aspects, which will surely lead to an even better understanding of cell migratory behaviour and therefore many of its related biological processes. This paper first dives into a brief introduction of D. discoideum as a social organism and classical chemotaxis studies. It then moves to discuss early microfluidic devices, before diving into more recent and advanced microfluidic devices and their use with D. discoideum. The paper then closes with brief opinions about research progress in the field and where it will possibly lead in the future.

ATP levels influence cell movement during the mound phase in Dictyostelium discoideum as revealed by ATP visualization and simulation

Cell migration plays an important role in multicellular organism development. The cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is a useful model organism for the study of cell migration during development. Although cellular ATP levels are known to determine cell fate during development, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we report that ATP-rich cells efficiently move to the central tip region of the mound against rotational movement during the mound phase. A simulation analysis based on an agent-based model reproduces the movement of ATP-rich cells observed in the experiments. These findings indicate that ATP-rich cells have the ability to move against the bulk flow of cells, suggesting a mechanism by which high ATP levels determine the cell fate of differentiation.

Microscopic Swarms: From Active Matter Physics to Biomedical and Environmental Applications

Microscopic swarms consisting of, e.g., active colloidal particles or microorganisms, display emergent behaviors not seen in equilibrium systems. They represent an emerging field of research that generates both fundamental scientific interest and practical technological value. This review seeks to unite the perspective of fundamental active matter physics and the perspective of practical applications of microscopic swarms. We first summarize experimental and theoretical results related to a few key aspects unique to active matter systems: the existence of long-range order, the prediction and observation of giant number fluctuations and motility-induced phase separation, and the exploration of the relations between information and order in the self-organizing patterns. Then we discuss microscopic swarms, particularly microrobotic swarms, from the perspective of applications. We introduce common methods to control and manipulate microrobotic swarms and summarize their potential applications in fields such as targeted delivery, in vivo imaging, biofilm removal, and wastewater treatment. We aim at bridging the gap between the community of active matter physics and the community of micromachines or microrobotics, and in doing so, we seek to inspire fruitful collaborations between the two communities.

Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism Fingerprint Method for Dictyostelids

Dictyostelid social amoebae are a highly diverse group of eukaryotic soil microbes that are valuable resources for biological research. Genetic diversity study of these organisms solely relies on molecular phylogenetics of the SSU rDNA gene, which is not ideal for large-scale genetic diversity study. Here, we designed a set of PCR–single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) primers and optimized the SSCP fingerprint method for the screening of dictyostelids. The optimized SSCP condition required gel purification of the SSCP amplicons followed by electrophoresis using a 9% polyacrylamide gel under 4°C. We also tested the optimized SSCP procedure with 73 Thai isolates of dictyostelid that had the SSU rDNA gene sequences published. The SSCP fingerprint patterns were related to the genus-level taxonomy of dictyostelids, but the fingerprint dendrogram did not reflect the deep phylogeny. This method is rapid, cost-effective, and suitable for large-scale sample screening as compared with the phylogenetic analysis of the SSU rDNA gene sequences.

Transfer entropy dependent on distance among agents in quantifying leader-follower relationships

Synchronized movement of (both unicellular and multicellular) systems can be observed almost everywhere. Understanding of how organisms are regulated to synchronized behavior is one of the challenging issues in the field of collective motion. It is hypothesized that one or a few agents in a group regulate(s) the dynamics of the whole collective, known as leader(s). The identification of the leader (influential) agent(s) is very crucial. This article reviews different mathematical models that represent different types of leadership. We focus on the improvement of the leader-follower classification problem. It was found using a simulation model that the use of interaction domain information significantly improves the leader-follower classification ability using both linear schemes and information-theoretic schemes for quantifying influence. This article also reviews different schemes that can be used to identify the interaction domain using the motion data of agents.

Inclusive groups can avoid the tragedy of the commons

The public goods game is a famous example illustrating the tragedy of the commons (Hardin in Science 162:1243-1248, 1968). In this game cooperating individuals contribute to a pool, which in turn is distributed to all members of the group, including defectors who reap the same rewards as cooperators without having made a contribution before. The question is now, how to incentivize group members to all cooperate as it maximizes the common good. While costly punishment (Helbing et al. in New J Phys 12:083005, 2010) presents one such method, the cost of punishment still reduces the common good. The selfishness of the group members favors defectors. Here we show that including other members of the groups and sharing rewards with them can be another incentive for cooperation, avoiding the cost required for punishment. Further, we show how punishment and this form of inclusiveness interact. This work suggests that a redistribution similar to a basic income that is coupled to the economic success of the entire group could overcome the tragedy of the commons.

Nontrivial amplification below the threshold for excitable cell signaling

In many asymptotically stable fluid systems, arbitrarily small fluctuations can grow by orders of magnitude before eventually decaying, dramatically enhancing the fluctuation variance beyond the minimum predicted by linear stability theory. Here using influential quantitative models drawn from the mathematical biology literature, we establish that dramatic amplification of arbitrarily small fluctuations is found in excitable cell signaling systems as well. Our analysis highlights how positive and negative feedback, proximity to bifurcations, and strong separation of timescales can generate nontrivial fluctuations without nudging these systems across their excitation thresholds. These insights, in turn, are relevant for a broader range of related oscillatory, bistable, and pattern-forming systems that share these features. The common thread connecting all of these systems with fluid dynamical examples of noise amplification is non-normality.

The effects of coating culture dishes with collagen on fibroblast cell shape and swirling pattern formation

Motile human-skin fibroblasts form macroscopic swirling patterns when grown to confluence on a culture dish. In this paper, we investigate the effect of coating the culture-dish surface with collagen on the resulting pattern, using human-skin fibroblast NB1RGB cells as the model system. The presence of the collagen coating is expected to enhance the adherence of the fibroblasts to the dish surface, and thereby also enhance the traction that the fibroblasts have as they move. We find that, contrary to our initial expectation, the coating does not significantly affect the motility of the fibroblasts. Their eventual number density at confluence is also unaffected. However, the coherence length of cell orientation in the swirling pattern is diminished. We also find that the fibroblasts cultured in collagen-coated dishes are rounder in shape and shorter in perimeter, compared with those cultured in uncoated polystyrene or glass culture dishes. We hypothesise that the rounder cell-shape which weakens the cell–cell nematic contact interaction is responsible for the change in coherence length. A simple mathematical model of the migrating fibroblasts is constructed, which demonstrates that constant motility with weaker nematic interaction strength does indeed lead to the shortening of the coherence length.

Interactome and F-Actin Interaction Analysis of Dictyostelium discoideum Coronin A

Coronin proteins are evolutionary conserved WD repeat containing proteins that have been proposed to carry out different functions. In Dictyostelium, the short coronin isoform, coronin A, has been implicated in cytoskeletal reorganization, chemotaxis, phagocytosis and the initiation of multicellular development. Generally thought of as modulators of F-actin, coronin A and its mammalian homologs have also been shown to mediate cellular processes in an F-actin-independent manner. Therefore, it remains unclear whether or not coronin A carries out its functions through its capacity to interact with F-actin. Moreover, the interacting partners of coronin A are not known. Here, we analyzed the interactome of coronin A as well as its interaction with F-actin within cells and in vitro. Interactome analysis showed the association with a diverse set of interaction partners, including fimbrin, talin and myosin subunits, with only a transient interaction with the minor actin10 isoform, but not the major form of actin, actin8, which was consistent with the absence of a coronin A-actin interaction as analyzed by co-sedimentation from cells and lysates. In vitro, however, purified coronin A co-precipitated with rabbit muscle F-actin in a coiled-coil-dependent manner. Our results suggest that an in vitro interaction of coronin A and rabbit muscle actin may not reflect the cellular interaction state of coronin A with actin, and that coronin A interacts with diverse proteins in a time-dependent manner.

Nucleotide second messengers in Streptomyces

Antibiotic producing Streptomyces sense and respond to environmental signals by using nucleotide second messengers, including (p)ppGpp, cAMP, c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP. As summarized in this review, these molecules are important message carriers that coordinate the complex Streptomyces morphological transition from filamentous growth to sporulation along with the secondary metabolite production. Here, we provide an overview of the enzymes that make and break these second messengers and suggest candidates for (p)ppGpp and cAMP enzymes to be studied. We highlight the target molecules that bind these signalling molecules and elaborate individual functions that they control in the context of Streptomyces development. Finally, we discuss open questions in the field, which may guide future studies in this exciting research area.

Electric Pulses Can Influence Galvanotaxis of Dictyostelium discoideum

Galvanotaxis, or electrotaxis, plays an essential role in wound healing, embryogenesis, and nerve regeneration. Up until now great efforts have been made to identify the underlying mechanism related to galvanotaxis in various cells under direct current electric field (DCEF) in laboratory studies. However, abundant clinical research shows that non-DCEFs including monopolar or bipolar electric field may also contribute to wound healing and regeneration, although the mechanism remains elusive. Here, we designed a novel electric stimulator and applied DCEF, pulsed DCEF (pDCEF), and bipolar pulse electric field (bpEF) to the cells of Dictyostelium discoideum. The cells had better directional performance under asymmetric 90% duty cycle pDCEF and 80% duty cycle bpEF compared to DCEF, with 10 Hz frequency electric fields eliciting a better cell response than 5 Hz. Interestingly, electrically neutral 50% duty cycle bpEF triggered the highest migration speed, albeit in random directions. The results suggest that electric pulses are vital to galvanotaxis and non-DCEF is promising in both basic and clinical researches.

D-Serine Metabolism and Its Importance in Development of Dictyostelium discoideum

In mammals, D-Ser is synthesized by serine racemase (SR) and degraded by D-amino acid oxidase (DAO). D-Ser acts as an endogenous ligand for N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)- and δ2 glutamate receptors, and is involved in brain functions such as learning and memory. Although SR homologs are highly conserved in eukaryotes, little is known about the significance of D-Ser in non-mammals. In contrast to mammals, the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum genome encodes SR, DAO, and additionally D-Ser specific degradation enzyme D-Ser dehydratase (DSD), but not NMDA- and δ2 glutamate receptors. Here, we studied the significances of D-Ser and DSD in D. discoideum. Enzymatic assays demonstrated that DSD is 460- and 1,700-fold more active than DAO and SR, respectively, in degrading D-Ser. Moreover, in dsd-null cells D-Ser degradation activity is completely abolished. In fact, while in wild-type D. discoideum intracellular D-Ser levels were considerably low, dsd-null cells accumulated D-Ser. These results indicated that DSD but not DAO is the primary enzyme responsible for D-Ser decomposition in D. discoideum. We found that dsd-null cells exhibit delay in development and arrest at the early culmination stage. The efficiency of spore formation was considerably reduced in the mutant cells. These phenotypes were further pronounced by exogenous D-Ser but rescued by plasmid-borne expression of dsd. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that mRNA expression of key genes in the cAMP signaling relay is perturbed in the dsd knockout. Our data indicate novel roles for D-Ser and/or DSD in the regulation of cAMP signaling in the development processes of D. discoideum.

From Phagocytes to Immune Defense: Roles for Coronin Proteins in Dictyostelium and Mammalian Immunity

Microbes have interacted with eukaryotic cells for as long as they have been co-existing. While many of these interactions are beneficial for both the microbe as well as the eukaryotic cell, several microbes have evolved into pathogenic species. For some of these pathogens, host cell invasion results in irreparable damage and thus host cell destruction, whereas others use the host to avoid immune detection and elimination. One of the latter pathogens is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, arguably one of the most notorious pathogens on earth. In mammalian macrophages, M. tuberculosis manages to survive within infected macrophages by avoiding intracellular degradation in lysosomes using a number of different strategies. One of these is based on the recruitment and phagosomal retention of the host protein coronin 1, that is a member of the coronin protein family and a mammalian homolog of coronin A, a protein identified in Dictyostelium. Besides mediating mycobacterial survival in macrophages, coronin 1 is also an important regulator of naïve T cell homeostasis. How, exactly, coronin 1 mediates its activity in immune cells remains unclear. While in lower eukaryotes coronins are involved in cytoskeletal regulation, the functions of the seven coronin members in mammals are less clear. Dictyostelium coronins may have maintained multiple functions, whereas the mammalian coronins may have evolved from regulators of the cytoskeleton to modulators of signal transduction. In this minireview, we will discuss the different studies that have contributed to understand the molecular and cellular functions of coronin proteins in mammals and Dictyostelium.

Convective instability and boundary driven oscillations in a reaction-diffusion-advection model

In a reaction-diffusion-advection system, with a convectively unstable regime, a perturbation creates a wave train that is advected downstream and eventually leaves the system. We show that the convective instability coexists with a local absolute instability when a fixed boundary condition upstream is imposed. This boundary induced instability acts as a continuous wave source, creating a local periodic excitation near the boundary, which initiates waves travelling both up and downstream. To confirm this, we performed analytical analysis and numerical simulations of a modified Martiel-Goldbeter reaction-diffusion model with the addition of an advection term. We provide a quantitative description of the wave packet appearing in the convectively unstable regime, which we found to be in excellent agreement with the numerical simulations. We characterize this new instability and show that in the limit of high advection speed, it is suppressed. This type of instability can be expected for reaction-diffusion systems that present both a convective instability and an excitable regime. In particular, it can be relevant to understand the signaling mechanism of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum that may experience fluid flows in its natural habitat.

A critical-like collective state leads to long-range cell communication in Dictyostelium discoideum aggregation

The transition from single-cell to multicellular behavior is important in early development but rarely studied. The starvation-induced aggregation of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum into a multicellular slug is known to result from single-cell chemotaxis towards emitted pulses of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). However, how exactly do transient, short-range chemical gradients lead to coherent collective movement at a macroscopic scale? Here, we developed a multiscale model verified by quantitative microscopy to describe behaviors ranging widely from chemotaxis and excitability of individual cells to aggregation of thousands of cells. To better understand the mechanism of long-range cell—cell communication and hence aggregation, we analyzed cell—cell correlations, showing evidence of self-organization at the onset of aggregation (as opposed to following a leader cell). Surprisingly, cell collectives, despite their finite size, show features of criticality known from phase transitions in physical systems. By comparing wild-type and mutant cells with impaired aggregation, we found the longest cell—cell communication distance in wild-type cells, suggesting that criticality provides an adaptive advantage and optimally sized aggregates for the dispersal of spores.

A multiscale model and imaging data show that cells of the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum maximize their cell—cell communication range during aggregation by a critical-like state known from phase transitions in physical systems.

Cells are often coupled to each other in cell collectives, such as aggregates during early development, tissues in the developed organism, and tumors in disease. How do cells communicate over macroscopic distances much larger than the typical cell—cell distance to decide how they should behave? Here, we developed a multiscale model of social amoeba, spanning behavior from individuals to thousands of cells. We show that local cell—cell coupling via secreted chemicals may be tuned to a critical value, resulting in emergent long-range communication and heightened sensitivity. Hence, these aggregates are remarkably similar to bacterial biofilms and neuronal networks, all communicating in a pulselike fashion. Similar organizing principles may also aid our understanding of the remarkable robustness in cancer development.

Investigating the Function of Coronin A in the Early Starvation Response of Dictyostelium discoideum by Aggregation Assays

Dictyostelium discoideum amoeba are found in soil, feeding on bacteria. When food sources become scarce, they secrete factors to initiate a multicellular development program, during which single cells chemotax towards aggregation centers(1-4). This process is dependent on the release of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)(5). cAMP is produced in waves through the concerted action of adenylate cyclase and phosphodiesterases, and binds to G protein-coupled cAMP receptors(6,7). A widely used assay to analyze the mechanisms involved in the developmental cycle of the lower eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum is based on the observation of cell aggregation in submerged conditions(8,9). This protocol describes the analysis of the role of coronin A in the developmental cycle by starvation in tissue-culture plates submerged in balanced salt solution (BSS)(10). Coronin A is a member of the widely conserved protein family of coronins that have been implicated in a wide variety of activities(11,12). Dictyostelium cells lacking coronin A are unable to form multicellular aggregates, and this defect can be rescued by supplying pulses of cAMP, suggesting that coronin A acts upstream of the cAMP cascade(10). The techniques described in these studies provide robust tools to investigate functions of proteins during the initial stages of the developmental cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum upstream of the cAMP cascade. Therefore, utilizing this aggregation assay may allow the further study of coronin A function and advance our understanding of coronin biology.

Promoting convergence: the Phi spiral in abduction of mouse corneal behaviors

Why do mouse corneal epithelial cells display spiraling patterns? We want to provide an explanation for this phenomenon by applying an idealized problem solving process. Specifically, we applied complementary line-fitting methods to measure transgenic epithelial reporter expression arrangements displayed on three mature, live enucleated globes to clarify the problem. Two prominent logarithmic curves were discovered, one of which displayed the ϕ ratio, an indicator of the optimal configuration in phyllotactic systems. We then utilized two different computational approaches to expose our current understanding of the behavior. In one procedure, which involved an isotropic mechanics-based finite element method, we successfully produced logarithmic spiral curves of maximum shear strain based pathlines but computed dimensions displayed pitch angles of 35° (ϕ spiral is ~17°), which was altered when we fitted the model with published measurements of coarse collagen orientations. We then used model-based reasoning in context of Peircean abduction to select a working hypothesis. Our work serves as a concise example of applying a scientific habit of mind and illustrates nuances of executing a common method to doing integrative science.

The symbiont side of symbiosis: do microbes really benefit?

Microbial associations are integral to all eukaryotes. Mutualism, the interaction of two species for the benefit of both, is an important aspect of microbial associations, with evidence that multicellular organisms in particular benefit from microbes. However, the microbe’s perspective has largely been ignored, and it is unknown whether most microbial symbionts benefit from their associations with hosts. It has been presumed that microbial symbionts receive host-derived nutrients or a competition-free environment with reduced predation, but there have been few empirical tests, or even critical assessments, of these assumptions. We evaluate these hypotheses based on available evidence, which indicate reduced competition and predation are not universal benefits for symbionts. Some symbionts do receive nutrients from their host, but this has not always been linked to a corresponding increase in symbiont fitness. We recommend experiments to test symbiont fitness using current experimental systems of symbiosis and detail considerations for other systems. Incorporating symbiont fitness into symbiosis research will provide insight into the evolution of mutualistic interactions and cooperation in general.

Unpinning of scroll waves under the influence of a thermal gradient

Three-dimensional scroll waves of electrical activity are among the mechanisms believed to be responsible for the rapid, unsynchronized contraction of cardiac ventricles, thereby reducing the heart's ability to pump blood. Scroll waves can attach themselves to unexcitable obstacles, and this sometimes highly elongates their life span. Hence, the unpinning and annihilation of these vortices has attracted much attention in recent decades. In this work, we study the influence of a thermal gradient on scroll waves pinned to inert obstacles, in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. Under a temperature gradient, scroll rings were seen to unpin from these obstacles, thus strikingly reducing their lifetimes. These results were also reproduced by numerical simulations using the Barkley model.

Mechanical signaling via nonlinear wavefront propagation in a mechanically excitable medium

Models that invoke nonlinear wavefront propagation in a chemically excitable medium are rife in the biological literature. Indeed, the idea that wavefront propagation can serve as a signaling mechanism has often been invoked to explain synchronization of developmental processes. In this paper we suggest a kind of signaling based not on diffusion of a chemical species but on the propagation of mechanical stress. We construct a theoretical approach to describe mechanical signaling as a nonlinear wavefront propagation problem and study its dependence on key variables such as the effective elasticity and damping of the medium.

Initiation of multicellular differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum is regulated by coronin A

Multicellular development of Dictyostelium is induced by starvation and is crucial for its long-term survival. Coronin A mediates the transition from growth to development of the cells and initiates the cAMP-dependent relay by regulating the response to secreted cell density and nutrient deprivation factors.

Many biological systems respond to environmental changes by activating intracellular signaling cascades, resulting in an appropriate response. One such system is represented by the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum. When food sources become scarce, these unicellular cells can initiate a cAMP-driven multicellular aggregation program to ensure long-term survival. On starvation, the cells secrete conditioned medium factors that initiate cAMP signal transduction by inducing expression of genes such as cAMP receptors and adenylate cyclase. The mechanisms involved in the activation of the first pulses of cAMP release have been unclear. We here show a crucial role for the evolutionarily conserved protein coronin A in the initiation of the cAMP response. On starvation, coronin A–deficient cells failed to up-regulate the expression of cAMP-regulated genes, thereby failing to initiate development, despite a normal prestarvation response. Of importance, external addition of cAMP to coronin A–deficient cells resulted in normal chemotaxis and aggregate formation, thereby restoring the developmental program and suggesting a functional cAMP relay in the absence of coronin A. These results suggest that coronin A is dispensable for cAMP sensing, chemotaxis, and development per se but is part of a signal transduction cascade essential for system initiation leading to multicellular development in Dictyostelium.

The syncytial Drosophila embryo as a mechanically excitable medium

Mitosis in the early syncytial Drosophila embryo is highly correlated in space and time, as manifested in mitotic wavefronts that propagate across the embryo. In this paper we investigate the idea that the embryo can be considered a mechanically-excitable medium, and that mitotic wavefronts can be understood as nonlinear wavefronts that propagate through this medium. We study the wavefronts via both image analysis of confocal microscopy videos and theoretical models. We find that the mitotic waves travel across the embryo at a well-defined speed that decreases with replication cycle. We find two markers of the wavefront in each cycle, corresponding to the onsets of metaphase and anaphase. Each of these onsets is followed by displacements of the nuclei that obey the same wavefront pattern. To understand the mitotic wavefronts theoretically we analyze wavefront propagation in excitable media. We study two classes of models, one with biochemical signaling and one with mechanical signaling. We find that the dependence of wavefront speed on cycle number is most naturally explained by mechanical signaling, and that the entire process suggests a scenario in which biochemical and mechanical signaling are coupled.

Contact inhibition of locomotion probabilities drive solitary versus collective cell migration

Contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL) is the process whereby cells collide, cease migrating in the direction of the collision, and repolarize their migration machinery away from the collision. Quantitative analysis of CIL has remained elusive because cell-to-cell collisions are infrequent in traditional cell culture. Moreover, whereas CIL predicts mutual cell repulsion and 'scattering' of cells, the same cells in vivo are observed to undergo CIL at some developmental times and collective cell migration at others. It remains unclear whether CIL is simply absent during collective cell migration, or if the two processes coexist and are perhaps even related. Here, we used micropatterned stripes of extracellular matrix to restrict cell migration to linear paths such that cells polarized in one of two directions and collisions between cells occurred frequently and consistently, permitting quantitative and unbiased analysis of CIL. Observing repolarization events in different contexts, including head-to-head collision, head-to-tail collision, collision with an inert barrier, or no collision, and describing polarization as a two-state transition indicated that CIL occurs probabilistically, and most strongly upon head-to-head collisions. In addition to strong CIL, we also observed 'trains' of cells moving collectively with high persistence that appeared to emerge from single cells. To reconcile these seemingly conflicting observations of CIL and collective cell migration, we constructed an agent-based model to simulate our experiments. Our model quantitatively predicted the emergence of collective migration, and demonstrated the sensitivity of such emergence to the probability of CIL. Thus CIL and collective migration can coexist, and in fact a shift in CIL probabilities may underlie transitions between solitary cell migration and collective cell migration. Taken together, our data demonstrate the emergence of persistently polarized, collective cell movement arising from CIL between colliding cells.

Dictyostelium discoideum developmental cycle (DDDC) assay: a tool for Hg toxicity assessment and soil health screening

The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum has been proposed for assessing stress responses to pollutants in soil and it has already been successfully employed in the aquatic environment. Presently, we developed the DDDC assay (D. discoideum developmental cycle assay) for both soil toxicity assessment and soil health screening. The DDDC assay is primarily aimed at determining the capacity of D. discoideum to undergo its developmental programme forming a fruiting body, measured in terms of fruiting body formation inhibition and fruiting body size factor, which may be considered an indication of its ecological fitness (potential for spore dispersal). A second objective of the solid phase DDDC assay is to identify potential mechanisms of toxic action on the developmental cycle, for which three checkpoints are examined: (a) aggregation arrest, (b) migration arrest, and (c) culmination arrest. Presently, conditions for the DDDC assay such as soil texture, soil water content, soil pH, food availability and incubation time were investigated and optimized. In addition, both solid and liquid phase variants of the DDDC assay were applied to assess the toxicity of Hg, at regulatory concentrations. The developmental cycle and ecological fitness were affected from the exposure to 0.3 mg Hg/kg dry-wt soil onwards. The DDDC assay has been shown to be a high sensitivity test.

Identification of N-acylethanolamines in Dictyostelium discoideum and confirmation of their hydrolysis by fatty acid amide hydrolase

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are endogenous lipid-based signaling molecules best known for their role in the endocannabinoid system in mammals, but they are also known to play roles in signaling pathways in plants. The regulation of NAEs in vivo is partly accomplished by the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which hydrolyses NAEs to ethanolamine and their corresponding fatty acid. Inhibition of FAAH has been shown to increase the levels of NAEs in vivo and to produce desirable phenotypes. This has led to the development of pharmaceutical-based therapies for a variety of conditions targeting FAAH. Recently, our group identified a functional FAAH homolog in Dictyostelium discoideum, leading to our hypothesis that D. discoideum also possesses NAEs. In this study, we provide a further characterization of FAAH and identify NAEs in D. discoideum for the first time. We also demonstrate the ability to modulate their levels in vivo through the use of a semispecific FAAH inhibitor and confirm that these NAEs are FAAH substrates through in vitro studies. We believe the demonstration of the in vivo modulation of NAE levels suggests that D. discoideum could be a good simple model organism in which to study NAE-mediated signaling.

A cell number counting factor alters cell metabolism

It is still not clear how organisms regulate the size of appendages or organs during development. During development, Dictyostelium discoideum cells form groups of approximately 2 x 10(4) cells. The cells secrete a protein complex called counting factor (CF) that allows them to sense the local cell density. If there are too many cells in a group, as indicated by high extracellular concentrations of CF, the cells break up the group by decreasing cell-cell adhesion and increasing random cell motility. As a part of the signal transduction pathway, CF decreases the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase to decrease internal glucose levels. CF also decreases the levels of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and increases the levels of glucose-6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate. In this report, we focus on how a secreted signal used to regulate the size of a group of cells regulates many basic aspects of cell metabolism, including the levels of pyruvate, lactate, and ATP, and oxygen consumption.

Synthetic multicellularity

The ability to synthesize biological constructs on the scale of the organisms we observe unaided is probably one of the more outlandish, yet recurring, dreams humans have had since they began to modify genes. This review brings together recent developments in synthetic biology, cell and developmental biology, computation, and technological development to provide context and direction for the engineering of rudimentary, autonomous multicellular ensembles.

Theory of the origin, evolution, and nature of life

Life is an inordinately complex unsolved puzzle. Despite significant theoretical progress, experimental anomalies, paradoxes, and enigmas have revealed paradigmatic limitations. Thus, the advancement of scientific understanding requires new models that resolve fundamental problems. Here, I present a theoretical framework that economically fits evidence accumulated from examinations of life. This theory is based upon a straightforward and non-mathematical core model and proposes unique yet empirically consistent explanations for major phenomena including, but not limited to, quantum gravity, phase transitions of water, why living systems are predominantly CHNOPS (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur), homochirality of sugars and amino acids, homeoviscous adaptation, triplet code, and DNA mutations. The theoretical framework unifies the macrocosmic and microcosmic realms, validates predicted laws of nature, and solves the puzzle of the origin and evolution of cellular life in the universe.

Enzymatic and mutational analyses of a class II 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, PdeE, from Myxococcus xanthus

Myxococcus xanthus PdeE, an enzyme homologous to class II 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, hydrolyzed cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cGMP with K(m) values of 12 μM and 25 μM, respectively. A pdeE mutant exhibited delays in fruiting body and spore formation compared with the wild type when cultured on starvation medium.

Phospholipase D controls Dictyostelium development by regulating G protein signaling

Dictyostelium discoideum cells normally exist as individual amoebae, but will enter a period of multicellular development upon starvation. The initial stages of development involve the aggregation of individual cells, using cAMP as a chemoattractant. Chemotaxis is initiated when cAMP binds to its receptor, cAR1, and activates the associated G protein, Gα2βγ. However, chemotaxis will not occur unless there is a high density of starving cells present, as measured by high levels of the secreted quorum sensing molecule, CMF. We previously demonstrated that cells lacking PldB bypass the need for CMF and can aggregate at low cell density, whereas cells overexpressing pldB do not aggregate even at high cell density. Here, we found that PldB controlled both cAMP chemotaxis and cell sorting. PldB was also required by CMF to regulate G protein signaling. Specifically, CMF used PldB, to regulate the dissociation of Gα2 from Gβγ. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), we found that along with cAMP, CMF increased the dissociation of the G protein. In fact, CMF augmented the dissociation induced by cAMP. This augmentation was lost in cells lacking PldB. PldB appears to mediate the CMF signal through the production of phosphatidic acid, as exogenously added phosphatidic acid phenocopies overexpression of pldB. These results suggest that phospholipase D activity is required for CMF to alter the kinetics of cAMP-induced G protein signaling.

Development of Dictyostelium discoideum is associated with alteration of fucosylated N-glycan structures

The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum has become established as a simple model for the examination of cell-cell interactions, and early studies suggested that shifts in glycosylation profiles take place during its life cycle. In the present study, we have applied HPLC and mass spectrometric methods to show that the major N-glycans in axenic cultures of the AX3 strain are oligomannosidic forms, most of which carry core fucose and/or intersecting and bisecting N-acetylglucosamine residues, including the major structure with the composition Man8GlcNAc4Fuc1. The postulated alpha1,3-linkage of the core fucose correlates with the cross-reactivity of Dictyostelium glycoproteins with a horseradish peroxidase antiserum; a corresponding core alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase activity capable of modifying oligomannosidic N-glycans was detected in axenic Dictyostelium extracts. The presence of fucose on the N-glycans and the reactivity to the antiserum, but not the fucosyltransferase activity, are abolished in the fucose-deficient HL250 strain. In later stages of development, N-glycans at the mound and culmination stages show a reduction in both the size and the degree of modification by intersecting/bisecting residues compared with mid-exponential phase cultures, consistent with the hypothesis that glycosidase and glycosyltransferase expression levels are altered during the slime mould life cycle.

Controlled growth factor delivery for tissue engineering

Growth factors play a crucial role in information transfer between cells and their microenvironment in tissue engineering and regeneration. They initiate their action by binding to specific receptors on the surface of target cells and the chemical identity, concentration, duration, and context of these growth factors contain information that dictates cell fate. Hence, the importance of exogenous delivery of these molecules in tissue engineering is unsurprising, considering their importance for tissue regeneration. However, the short half-lives of growth factors, their relatively large size, slow tissue penetration, and their potential toxicity at high systemic levels, suggest that conventional routes of administration are unlikely to be effective. In this review, we provide an overview of the design criteria for growth factor delivery vehicles with respect to the growth factor itself and the microenvironment for delivery. We discuss various methodologies that could be adopted to achieve this localized delivery, and strategies using polymers as delivery vehicles in particular.

Emerging findings from studies of phospholipase D in model organisms (and a short update on phosphatidic acid effectors)

Phospholipase D (PLD) catalyses the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine to generate phosphatidic acid and choline. Historically, much PLD work has been conducted in mammalian settings although genes encoding enzymes of this family have been identified in all eukaryotic organisms. Recently, important insights on PLD function are emerging from work in yeast, but much less is known about PLD in other organisms. In this review we will summarize what is known about phospholipase D in several model organisms, including C. elegans, D. discoideum, D. rerio and D. melanogaster. In the cases where knockouts are available (C. elegans, Dictyostelium and Drosophila) the PLD gene(s) appear not to be essential for viability, but several studies are beginning to identify pathways where this activity has a role. Given that the proteins in model organisms are very similar to their mammalian counterparts, we expect that future studies in model organisms will complement and extend ongoing work in mammalian settings. At the end of this review we will also provide a short update on phosphatidic acid targets, a topic last reviewed in 2006.

Influences of periodic mechanical deformation on spiral breakup in excitable media

Influences of periodic mechanical deformation (PMD) on spiral breakup that results from Doppler instability in excitable media are investigated. We present a new effect: a high degree of homogeneous PMD is favored to prevent the low-excitability-induced breakup of spiral waves. The frequency and amplitude of PMD are also significant for achieving this purpose. The underlying mechanism of successful control is also discussed, which is believed to be related to the increase of the minimum temporal period of the meandering spiral when the suitable PMD is applied.