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JOURNAL ARTICLES
Stage-specific requirement for myosin II during Dictyostelium development
M.L. Springer, B. Patterson, J.A. Spudich
Development 1994 120: 2651-2660;

Summary

Dictyostelium cells that lack a functional myosin II heavy chain are motile and are capable of aggregation, but fail to undergo further multicellular development. We have used a Dictyostelium mutant expressing a cold-sensitive myosin heavy chain to examine the requirement for myosin throughout the course of development. The loss of myosin function upon cooling is rapid and reversible. Temperature-shift experiments reveal that myosin is essential during two different stages of development. During aggregation, myosin function appears to be necessary for cells to sort correctly in a way that allows further development to occur. During the final stage of development, it is required for the formation of a complete stalk and the raising of the spore head. Development between those stages, however, proceeds normally in the absence of myosin function. Aggregates at non-permissive temperature undergo an aberrant form of development resulting in a ball of cells. Calcofluor staining and reporter gene fusions reveal that these structures contain defective spores and a miniature stalk.

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JOURNAL ARTICLES
Stage-specific requirement for myosin II during Dictyostelium development
M.L. Springer, B. Patterson, J.A. Spudich
Development 1994 120: 2651-2660;
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