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Inorganic polyphosphates and enzymes of polyphosphate metabolism in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

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Abstract

The concentration of inorganic polyphosphates in Dictyostelium discoideum was low in the amoebae. A ca 5-fold increase took place during the early stages of multicellular development and was followed by a decrease during the intermediate stages.

Electron micrographs showed the presence of electron dense material in all parts of the differentiating cells. The substance was most frequently observed in various types of vacuoles.

Two enzymes of polyphosphate metabolism were identified and studied in cell-free extracts: a polyphosphatase and a polyphosphate-ADP-phosphotransferase. No polyphosphate-glucose-phosphotransferase or polyphosphate-AMP-phosphotransferase activities were observed in the extracts.

The specific activity of the polyphosphatase, pH optimum 7.6, was ca 30 nmol Pi·min-1·mg protein-1 at all stages of development. The enzyme activity was not inhibited by 0.01 M orthophosphate.

The polyphosphate-ADP-phosphotransferase, pH optimum ca 7.7, was studied in the direction of ATP. The enzyme specific activities were very low, about 0.2 nmol P·min-1·mg protein-1, and rather constant during differentiation. The enzyme activity was inhibited by orthophosphate and by excess ADP.

It was concluded that the polyphosphate-ADP-phosphotransferase did not contribute significantly to the formation of ATP during multicellular development, and that polyphosphate did not act as a phosphagen in the differentiating cellular slime mold. It was suggested that polyphosphate served as a phosphate store and as a means of regulating the intracellular orthophosphate concentration during development.

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Abbreviations

glc-6-P:

glucose-6-phosphate

EDTA:

ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid

Tris:

tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

PCA:

perchloric acid

TCA:

trichloroacetic acid

NADP:

nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide phosphate

ATP, ADP, AMP:

adenosine 5′-tri-, di-, and monophosphate

Pi:

orthophosphate

Pn :

inorganic polyphosphate

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  1. Department of Plant Physiology, University of Umeå, Umeå

    Kerstin Gezelius

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Gezelius, K. Inorganic polyphosphates and enzymes of polyphosphate metabolism in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum . Arch. Microbiol. 98, 311–329 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425292

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