Summary
The ability of cells to migrate directionally in gradients of chemoattractant is a fundamental biological response that is essential for the survival of the social amoebae Dictyostelium discoideum. In Dictyostelium, cAMP is the most potent chemoattractant and the detection, synthesis, and degradation of cAMP is exquisitely regulated. Interestingly, as Dictyostelium cells migrate directionally, they do so in a head-to-tail fashion, forming characteristic streams. This group behavior is acquired through the relay of the cAMP signals to neighboring cells. This chapter describes experimental procedures used to obtain synchronized populations of chemotactically competent cells and to assess their streaming behavior. In addition, we provide a detailed account of the method used to measure the ability of chemoattractants to directly stimulate adenylyl cyclase activity. Together, these techniques provide a way to combine cell biological and biochemical approaches to the study of signal relay.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Gene Garcia for carefully reading the manuscript. This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research.
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© 2009 Humana Press
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Kriebel, P.W., Parent, C.A. (2009). Group Migration and Signal Relay in Dictyostelium . In: Jin, T., Hereld, D. (eds) Chemotaxis. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 571. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-198-1_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-198-1_7
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