Mikki Ellaine M.

Bulanan PPTH104 Sect: B 2L

Group No: 4 July 15, 2013

Answers to questions: 1. The life cycle of a species of Dictyostelium consists of different stages and is illustrated on the drawing file attached with this answer sheet. 2. Acrasin is known to be a collection of particular chemical signal transmitter specified by each species of slime molds. Acrasin is essential to a cellular slime molds life cycle since it acts as a binding force that commands the aggregation of isolated cells to adhere from one end to the other. 3. Cellular slime molds life cycle is composed of main stages namely: a. Myxamoebae (vegetative stage) This is the first stage of the life cycle initiated by the protective casing of the spores breaking open to release the myxamoebae. The said amoebae nourish their selves by preying on bacterial species then undergo mitosis for repopulation. When all their supplies are depleted, the next stage starts. b. Aggregartion This happens when cells of individual arrangement attract one another to group as one organization. Aggregation usually happens after the myxamoebae experienced an episode of famine. The newly established connected myxamoebae then develop as a roaming structure known as pseudoplasmodium. c. Pseudoplasmodium (also called grex or slug) This is also the final appearance of the aggregated myxamoebae. It exhibits motility, migrating when induced by factors such as light, humidity and temperature. Its front and posterior cells are composed of prestalk cells and prespore cells respectively. d. Culmination This is the final and mature stage of the life cycle. This stage is when the grex becomes a fruiting body. The aggregated cells arrange their selves

in order for the the fruiting body to form. A trade of places between the prestalk and prespore cells happens. After a lengthy reorganization comes a mature fruiting body which will be the beginning of a new life cycle. 4. Different species of Dictyostelium are differentiated based on different criteria such as: Fruiting body structures Pattern of aggregation (of individual cells) Appearance of stalk or ration of stalk to spores Sorocarps Tip and base appearance Spores cAMP utilization as chemical signal

References: Kesin, RH. 2001. Dictyostelium: Evolution, Cell Biology and the Development of Multicellularity. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Swanson, A. A Guide to the Common Dictyostelid Slime Molds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. *https://slimemold.uark.edu/pdfs/GSMNPDictyGuide.pdf.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrasin. *http://www.d.umn.edu/~pschoff/documents/04CellularSlimeMolds.pdf.

*Links accessed on July 10, 2013