dictyNews
Electronic Edition
Volume 36, number 13
May 6, 2011

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Abstracts
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A SET/MYND chromatin re-modelling protein regulates Dictyostelium
prespore patterning


Beatriz Nu–ez-Corcuera, Joanna Birch and Jeffrey G. Williams+
College of Life Sciences, Welcome Trust Building, University of 
Dundee, Dow St.,Dundee DD1 5EH, UK


Short communication in Int J Dev Biol, in press

SmdA is a Dictyostelium orthologue of the SET/MYND chromatin
re-modelling proteins. In developing structures derived from a null
mutant for smdA (a smdA- strain) prestalk patterning is normal but using
a prespore lacZ reporter fusion there is ectopic accumulation of
B-galactosidase in the prestalk region. As wild type slugs migrate there
is continual forward movement and re-differentiation of prespore cells
into prestalk cells. Thus a potential explanation for the ectopic
reporter localization in smdA null prestalk cells is an increased rate
of re-differentiation and anterior movement of prespore cells. In
support of this notion analysis of an unstable lacZ reporter, driven by
the prespore promoter, reveals a normal staining pattern in the smdA-
strain. We suggest that one or more genes regulated by SmdA acts to
repress prespore re-specification. 

Submitted by  Jeffrey Williams [j.g.williams@dundee.ac.uk]
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[End dictyNews, volume 36, number 13]