scholarly journals Dictyostelium discoideum mutants with conditional defects in phagocytosis.

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 955-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
C J Cohen ◽  
R Bacon ◽  
M Clarke ◽  
K Joiner ◽  
I Mellman

We have isolated and characterized Dictyostelium discoideum mutants with conditional defects in phagocytosis. Under suspension conditions, the mutants exhibited dramatic reductions in the uptake of bacteria and polystyrene latex beads. The initial binding of these ligands was unaffected, however, indicating that the defect was not in a plasma membrane receptor: Because of the phagocytosis defect, the mutants were unable to grow when cultured in suspensions of heat-killed bacteria. The mutants exhibited normal capacities for fluid phase endocytosis and grew as rapidly as parental (AX4) cells in axenic medium. Both the defects in phagocytosis and growth on bacteria were corrected when the mutant Dictyostelium cells were cultured on solid substrates. Reversion and genetic complementation analysis suggested that the mutant phenotypes were caused by single gene defects. While the precise site of action of the mutations was not established, the mutations are likely to affect an early signaling event because the binding of bacteria to mutant cells in suspension was unable to trigger the localized polymerization of actin filaments required for ingestion; other aspects of actin function appeared normal. This class of conditional phagocytosis mutant should prove to be useful for the expression cloning of the affected gene(s).

1993 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 861-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Aubry ◽  
G. Klein ◽  
J.L. Martiel ◽  
M. Satre

The evolution of endo-lysosomal pH in Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae was examined during fluid-phase endocytosis. Pulse-chase experiments were conducted in nutritive medium or in non-nutritive medium using fluorescein labelled dextran (FITC-dextran) as fluid-phase marker and pH probe. In both conditions, efflux kinetics were characterized by an extended lag phase lasting for 45–60 min and corresponding to intracellular transit of FITC-dextran cohort. During the chase period, endosomal pH decreased during approximately 20 min from extracellular pH down to pH 4.6-5.0, then, it increased within the next 20–40 min to reach pH 6.0-6.2. It was only at this stage that FITC-dextran was released back into the medium with pseudo first-order kinetics. A vacuolar H(+)-ATPase is involved in endosomal acidification as the acidification process was markedly reduced in mutant strain HGR8, partially defective in vacuolar H(+)-ATPase and in parent type strain AX2 by bafilomycin A1, a selective inhibitor of this enzyme. Our data suggest that endocytic cargo is channeled from endosomes to secondary lysosomes that are actively linked to the plasma membrane via recycling vesicles.


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (1) ◽  
pp. C163-C173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ester Carballo ◽  
Diana M. Pitterle ◽  
Deborah J. Stumpo ◽  
Robert T. Sperling ◽  
Perry J. Blackshear

Macrophages express high levels of the myristoylated, alanine-rich, C kinase substrate (MARCKS), an actin cross-linking protein. To investigate a possible role of MARCKS in macrophage function, fetal liver-derived macrophages were generated from wild-type and MARCKS knockout mouse embryos. No differences between the wild-type and MARCKS-deficient macrophages with respect to morphology (Wright’s stain) or actin distribution (staining with rhodamine-phalloidin, under basal conditions or after treatment with phorbol esters, lipopolysaccharide, or both) were observed. We then evaluated phagocytosis mediated by different receptors: Fc receptors tested with IgG-coated sheep red blood cells, complement C3b receptors tested with C3b-coated yeast, mannose receptors tested with unopsonized zymosan, and nonspecific phagocytosis tested with latex beads. We also studied fluid phase endocytosis in macrophages and mouse embryo fibroblasts by using FITC-dextran to quantitate this process. In most cases, there were no differences between the cells derived from wild-type and MARCKS-deficient mice. However, a minor but significant and reproducible difference in rates of zymosan phagocytosis at 45–60 min was observed, with lower rates of phagocytosis in the MARCKS-deficient cells. Our data indicate that MARCKS deficiency may lead to slightly decreased rates of zymosan phagocytosis.


1999 ◽  
Vol 112 (19) ◽  
pp. 3195-3203 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. Noegel ◽  
F. Rivero ◽  
R. Albrecht ◽  
K.P. Janssen ◽  
J. Kohler ◽  
...  

The CAP (cyclase-associated protein) homologue of Dictyostelium discoideum is a phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) regulated G-actin sequestering protein which is present in the cytosol and shows enrichment at plasma membrane regions. It is composed of two domains separated by a proline rich stretch. The sequestering activity has been localized to the C-terminal domain of the protein, whereas the presence of the N-terminal domain seems to be required for PIP(2)-regulation of the sequestering activity. Here we have constructed GFP-fusions of N- and C-domain and found that the N-terminal domain showed CAP-specific enrichment at the anterior and posterior ends of cells like endogenous CAP irrespective of the presence of the proline rich region. Mutant cells expressing strongly reduced levels of CAP were generated by homologous recombination. They had an altered cell morphology with very heterogeneous cell sizes and exhibited a cytokinesis defect. Growth on bacteria was normal both in suspension and on agar plates as was phagocytosis of yeast and bacteria. In suspension in axenic medium mutant cells grew more slowly and did not reach saturation densities observed for wild-type cells. This was paralleled by a reduction in fluid phase endocytosis. Development was delayed by several hours under all conditions assayed, furthermore, motile behaviour was affected.


1980 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 456-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Vogel ◽  
L Thilo ◽  
H Schwarz ◽  
R Steinhart

The recognition step in the phagocytotic process of the unicellular amoeba dictyostelium discoideum was examined by analysis of mutants defective in phagocytosis, Reliable and simple assays were developed to measure endocytotic uptake. For pinocytosis, FITC-dextran was found to be a suitable fluid-phase marker; FITC-bacteria, latex beads, and erythrocytes were used as phagocytotic substrates. Ingested material was isolated in one step by centrifuging through highly viscous poly(ethyleneglycol) solutions and was analyzed optically. A selection procedure for isolating mutants defective in phagocytosis was devised using tungsten beads as particulate prey. Nonphagocytosing cells were isolated on the basis of their lower density. Three mutant strains were found exhibiting a clear-cut phenotype directly related to the phagocytotic event. In contrast to the situation in wild-type cells, uptake of E. coli B/r by mutant cells is specifically and competitively inhibited by glucose. Mutant amoeba phagocytose latex beads normally but not protein-coated latex, nonglucosylated bacteria, or erythrocytes. Cohesive properties of mutant cells are altered: they do not form EDTA-sensitive aggregates, and adhesiveness to glass or plastic surfaces is greatly reduced. Based upon these findings, a model for recognition in phagocytosis is proposed: (a) A lectin-type receptor specifically mediates binding of particles containing terminal glucose (E. coli B/r). (b) A second class of "nonspecific" receptors mediate binding of a variety of particles by hydrophobic interaction. Nonspecific binding is affected by mutation in such a way that only strongly hydrophobic (latex) but not more hydrophilic particles (e.g., protein-coated latex, bacteria, erythrocytes) can be phagocytosed by mutant amoebae.


1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. 2273-2278
Author(s):  
B C Dowds ◽  
W F Loomis

The three major spore coat proteins of Dictyostelium discoideum are developmentally regulated, cell-type-specific proteins. They are packaged in prespore vesicles and then secreted to form the outer layer of spore coats. We have isolated a cDNA clone from the gene coding for one of these proteins, SP96, a glycoprotein of 96,000 daltons. We screened the cDNA bank by the method of hybrid select translation followed by immunoprecipitation of the translation products with SP96-specific polyclonal antiserum. We found that the gene was first transcribed into stable mRNA a few hours before the time of detection of SP96 synthesis and that the mRNA, like the protein, accumulated specifically in prespore cells and spores. SP96 constituted the same proportion of newly synthesized protein as the proportion of its message in polyadenylated RNA. SP96 appeared to be encoded by a single gene as judged by Southern blot analysis of digested genomic DNA hybridized to the cDNA clone.


Nanoscale ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alba Calvo ◽  
Esther Moreno ◽  
Unai Clemente ◽  
Enma Perez-Chauca ◽  
Esther Larrea ◽  
...  

This study investigates if visceral leishmaniasis infection has effect in the organ and cellular uptake and distribution of 100-200 nm near-infrared fluorescently-labelled non-biodegradable polystyrene latex beads (PS NP) or biodegradable...


1998 ◽  
Vol 111 (22) ◽  
pp. 3347-3356 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Singer-Kruger ◽  
Y. Nemoto ◽  
L. Daniell ◽  
S. Ferro-Novick ◽  
P. De Camilli

The synaptojanins represent a subfamily of inositol 5′-phosphatases that contain an NH2-terminal Sac1p homology domain. A nerve terminal-enriched synaptojanin, synaptojanin 1, was previously proposed to participate in the endocytosis of synaptic vesicles and actin function. The genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains three synaptojanin-like genes (SJL1, SJL2 and SJL3), none of which is essential for growth. We report here that a yeast mutant lacking SJL1 and SJL2 (Deltasjl1 Deltasjl2) exhibits a severe defect in receptor-mediated and fluid-phase endocytosis. A less severe endocytic defect is present in a Deltasjl2 Deltasjl3 mutant, while endocytosis is normal in a Deltasjl1 Deltasjl3 mutant. None of the mutants are impaired in invertase secretion. The severity of the endocytic impairment of the sjl double mutants correlates with the severity of actin and polarity defects. Furthermore, the deletion of SJL1 suppresses the temperature-sensitive growth defect of sac6, a mutant in yeast fimbrin, supporting a role for synaptojanin family members in actin function. These findings provide a first direct evidence for a role of synaptojanin family members in endocytosis and provide further evidence for a close link between endocytosis and actin function.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farnaz Fekri ◽  
Ralph Christian Delos Santos ◽  
Raffi Karshafian ◽  
Costin N. Antonescu

Drug delivery to tumors is limited by several factors, including drug permeability of the target cell plasma membrane. Ultrasound in combination with microbubbles (USMB) is a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. USMB treatment elicits enhanced cellular uptake of materials such as drugs, in part as a result of sheer stress and formation of transient membrane pores. Pores formed upon USMB treatment are rapidly resealed, suggesting that other processes such as enhanced endocytosis may contribute to the enhanced material uptake by cells upon USMB treatment. How USMB regulates endocytic processes remains incompletely understood. Cells constitutively utilize several distinct mechanisms of endocytosis, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) for the internalization of receptor-bound macromolecules such as Transferrin Receptor (TfR), and distinct mechanism(s) that mediate the majority of fluid-phase endocytosis. Tracking the abundance of TfR on the cell surface and the internalization of its ligand transferrin revealed that USMB acutely enhances the rate of CME. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy experiments revealed that USMB treatment altered the assembly of clathrin-coated pits, the basic structural units of CME. In addition, the rate of fluid-phase endocytosis was enhanced, but with delayed onset upon USMB treatment relative to the enhancement of CME, suggesting that the two processes are distinctly regulated by USMB. Indeed, vacuolin-1 or desipramine treatment prevented the enhancement of CME but not of fluid phase endocytosis upon USMB, suggesting that lysosome exocytosis and acid sphingomyelinase, respectively, are required for the regulation of CME but not fluid phase endocytosis upon USMB treatment. These results indicate that USMB enhances both CME and fluid phase endocytosis through distinct signaling mechanisms, and suggest that strategies for potentiating the enhancement of endocytosis upon USMB treatment may improve targeted drug delivery.


1995 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 1964-1970
Author(s):  
S S Blumenthal ◽  
D L Lewand ◽  
P A Tipnis ◽  
J G Kleinman

The mechanism for increased Na+ retention in the nephrotic syndrome is unknown. To determine if Na+ transport systems in the proximal tubule might be affected by filtered proteins, mouse cortical tubule cells grown in defined medium were exposed to concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) ranging from 0.01 to 0.5%. Activity of the Na(+)-glucose cotransporter, measured as Na(+)-dependent uptake of alpha-methylglucoside, increased progressively to a maximum of 2.3-fold above baseline (P < 0.001; N = 10). The increase in transporter activity was due to an increased Vmax, and the magnitude of the increase was inversely related to the basal cotransporter activity of the cultures. Increased cotransporter activity was detectable 6 h after exposure, was sustained for 24 h after cells were removed from an albumin-free medium, and was prevented by cycloheximide. Heat-treated BSA, fatty-acid and globulin-free BSA, and gamma-globulins were as effective at increasing Na(+)-glucose cotransporter activity as untreated Fraction V BSA. Dextran, dextran-sulfate, and amino acid supplements were ineffective. Neither protease inhibitors nor chloroquine added to an albumin-containing medium prevented increased alpha-methylglucoside uptake. Albumin did not change the rate of fluid-phase endocytosis in the cultured cells. Na(+)-amino acid cotransport and Na(+)-H+ exchange were either decreased or unchanged after BSA exposure. Exposing apical surfaces of cells grown on permeable membranes to BSA led to a greater increase in activity of the Na(+)-glucose cotransporter relative to controls than did exposing the basolateral surface (145 versus 89%; P < 0.05; N = 5).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


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