Involvement of cytoplasmic pH in the production of ethylene, a potent inducer of sexual development inDictyostelium mucoroides

Summary

Dictyostelium mucoroides-7 (Dm 7) and a mutant MF 1 derived from it exhibit two developmental pathways: sorocarp formation occurs during the asexual process, and macrocyst formation during the sexual cycle. The two developmental pathways are mainly regulated by two chemical substances: 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and ethylene. Recently, we have demonstrated that cytoplasmic pH (pH_i) has a critical role for the choice of developmental pathways, higher pH_i being favourable to macrocyst formation. Thereupon, attention was riveted to the relation of pH_i to biosynthesis of cAMP and ethylene. Effect of pH_i on the production and release of ethylene, a potent inducer of macrocyst formation, was examined, using the two facing culture method. The result showed that lowered pH_i inhibits ethylene production, thus resulting in a failure of cells to form macrocysts. The accumulation of cAMP, an inhibitor of macrocyst formation, was found to vary depending on extracellular pH (pH_o), but diethylstilbestrol (DES) that is a proton pump inhibitor and also an inhibitor of macrocyst formation had no significant effect on the accumulation. Taken together these results indicate that higher pH_i may induce macrocyst formation through enhancement of ethylene production rather than inhibition of cAMP synthesis.