Developmental regulation of multiple forms of UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase of Dictyostelium

Abstract

Uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase (UTP:α- d-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.9) is a developmentally regulated enzyme in Dictyostelium discoideum essential for the completion of its life cycle. During vegetative growth and the early stages of differentiation the specific activity of the enzyme remains constant. However, it increases threefold by the time fruiting bodies are formed. We have identified a developmentally specific form of uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase, altered in both isoelectric point and apparent molecular weight, by resolving crude extracts of cells on two-dimensional denaturing polyacrylamide gels, renaturing the protein in situ, and localizing active enzyme with a histochemical stain. Quantitation of the amount of enzyme stain deposited in the gels shows that the activity in the new form can account for the increase observed in development. The appearance of the developmental form of the enzyme requires de novo protein synthesis since it is inhibited by cycloheximide. Immunoprecipitation of uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase from in vivo and in vitro synthesized proteins has revealed heterogeneity not previously detected in the enzyme from both vegetative and developed cells. Two different proteins are synthesized in vitro by mRNA from either vegetative or developed cells. These two proteins are also found in vivo in developed cells. Only one of the two proteins is found in vegetative cells. Enzyme protein synthesized in vivo appears to be modified after translation. Therefore, the observed heterogeneity in uridine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase found in vivo appears due both to post-translational modification and to synthesis of two polypeptides from one or more species of mRNA.