This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by O'day, D. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by O'day, D. H.

-Mannosidase and Microcyst Differentiation in the Cellular Slime Mold Polysphondylium pallidum

Department of Zoology, Erindale College, University of Toronto, Toronto 5, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT

The intracellular and extracellular pattern of -mannosidase (EC 3.2.1.24) activity was studied during microcyst differentiation in the cellular slime mold, Polysphondylium pallidum. The evidence suggests that microcyst differentiation requires continuous protein synthesis. -Mannosidase activity is present in amoebae and increases with differentiation, and the data indicate that this increase in activity requires concurrent protein synthesis. The enzyme is excreted during the differentiation process, and the release of the enzyme is not stopped by cycloheximide. A cystless mutant does not show the normal intracellular pattern of -mannosidase but does excrete the enzyme. Microcyst differentiation is proposed as an alternative system to multicellular slime mold development for the biochemical analysis of certain aspects of cellular differentiation.