Induction of cell fusion by a factor released by the cellular slime mold Polysphondylium pallidum

Abstract

Heterokaryons and hybrid cells, which are extremely useful for research in cell biology, can be produced artificially by treating cells with either polyethylene glycol or certain inactivated viruses that alter the plasma membrane. We report here a novel cell-fusion inducing factor secreted by CK-8 strain cells of cellular slime mold Polysphondylium pallidum. Treatment of other strains or other species of cellular slime molds, such as NC-4 of Dictyostelium discoideum with the diluted fraction, containing molecules larger than 50 kDa, of the conditioned medium of CK-8 cell culture induces cell fusion at high frequency and produces multinucleated large cells. This cell fusion is inducible between cells of either a single strain or of two different strains of cellular slime molds.