Abstract
1. 1. The phospholipid composition of Dictyostelium discoideum was determined at different stages of development by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography, and both qualitative and quantitative changes in the composition of membrane phospholipids occurred during differentiation. 1,2-Diacylglycero- sn-3-phosphoryl-ethanolamine and its alkenyl-acyl derivative were the major phospholipids in all stages comprising 40–44 molar percent of the phospholipid phosphorous. The level of three phospholipids increased: 1,2-diacylglycero- sn-3-phosphorylcholine went from 7 to 24%; 1,2-diacylglycero- sn-3-phosphorylinositol from 6 to 13%; and 1,2-diacylglycero- sn-3-phosphate and its alkenyl-acyl derivative from 1 to 6%. The amount of 1-acylglycero- sn-3-phosphorylethanolamine and its 1-alkenyl form gradually decreased from 17% in amoebae to about 2% in mature fruiting bodies. 2. 2. Two unique unidentified plasmalogens comprising about 16% of amoebae phospholipids disappeared during aggregation, reappeared during culmination to 6%, and dropped to 2% in fruiting bodies. They were present in amoebae grown or produced in the absence of bacteria at relatively low levels, about 2–4%. 3. 3. The observed changes in phospholipid composition occurred during the time when cell membrane antigens were changing and when membrane-bounded prespore vesicles were forming. Since phospholipids are major components of membranes, these results suggest that D. discoideum membrane phospholipids change when the cells begin to adhere to each other and during spore formation.
Published Version
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