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First published online May 11, 2006

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Dicty talk by GABAling

GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) is an important neurotransmitter in C. elegans, Drosophila and all vertebrates. Now, Anjard and Loomis report that GABA has another role in intercellular communication – inducing sporulation in Dictyostelium (see p. 2253). This finding excitingly shows that GABA is not only an important neurotransmitter but also an ancient intercellular signal. Towards the end of Dictyostelium development, prespore cells migrate to the top of the fruiting body where they encapsulate in response to a secreted peptide SDF-2, which is generated from a precursor, AcbA, by a prestalk-specific protease. The researchers show that GABA triggers the release and processing of AcbA. By examining the Dictyostelium genome, they identified a putative receptor for GABA–GrlE. Dictyostelium cells that lack this G-protein-coupled receptor did not produce SDF-2 in response to GABA. Finally, the authors used pharmacological inhibitors and specific mutations to reveal that the effects of GABA on sporulation are mediated by PI3 kinase and a protein kinase B-related kinase, proteins that often act downstream of G-protein-coupled receptors.

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Related articles in Development:

GABA induces terminal differentiation of Dictyostelium through a GABA_B receptor

Christophe Anjard and William F. Loomis
Development 2006 133: 2253-2261. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?