Protein kinase A is a positive regulator of spore coat gene transcription in Dictyostelium.

The cotA, cotB, and cotC genes encode the major spore coat proteins of Dictyostelium. All three cot genes are coordinately expressed as aggregation is nearing completion. Induction and maintenance of their expression is dependent upon the presence of extracellular cAMP. We show that expression of a dominant inhibitor of the cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA) in prespore cells greatly reduces the transcription rates of the cotB and cotC genes. All three cot genes contain, in their upstream regulatory regions, short sequence elements that have a high content of cytosine and adenosine residues. These CA-rich sequences are essential for optimal cot gene transcription. We show that expression of the dominant PKA inhibitor results in a greatly reduced level of the binding activity that recognizes the CA-rich sequences upstream of the cotB gene. Thus PKA acts, either directly or indirectly, to control expression of the cot genes and it may do so by modulating the activity of a DNA binding protein. However, we find that mutant cells where PKA is constitutively active still require exogenous cAMP for optimal cot gene expression in dissociated cells, suggesting that a separate, PKA-independent, signalling pathway is also involved in the regulation of cot gene expression by extracellular cAMP.

Enhancer regions responsible for temporal and cell-type-specific expression of a spore coat gene in Dictyostelium.

The extracellular spore coat of Dictyostelium discoideum is composed of three major proteins, SP96, SP70, and SP60, encoded by the cotA, cotB, and cotC genes, respectively. The spore coat proteins are coordinately synthesized in prespore cells shortly after aggregation, stored in prespore vesicles during the slug stage, and secreted during encapsulation of spores. We have ligated various portions of the upstream region of cotB to lacZ such that a protein consisting of the first nine amino acids of SP70 fused to beta-galactosidase is synthesized in prespore cells. Individual cells that accumulate the enzyme can be observed in situ during early aggregation due to the sensitivity of the assay. We have found that prespore cells first appear in a random distribution throughout the aggregates with no indication of spatial localization. They subsequently sort out from prestalk cells that form a tip on the aggregates. The cotB regulatory region was subdivided into a proximal and a distal region, each of which could independently direct proper temporal and cell-type control. Transcriptional activity directed by these two regions appears to be additive in the full-length regulatory region. The proximal region was shown to be complex in that removal of certain portions partially reduced transcriptional activity while removal of other portions abolished all activity. Nevertheless, cells transformed with constructs showing attenuated activity expressed the fusion gene at the proper time in development and the activity was localized to prespore cells. The cis-acting regions responsible for all aspects of cotB regulation appear to be closely opposed within the minimal essential sequence of the proximal region.

Coordinate regulation of the spore coat genes in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Genomic clones of the genes coding for the three major spore coat proteins, SP60, SP70, and SP96, were used to measure the accumulation of their respective mRNAs in mutant and wild-type cells allowed to develop under a variety of conditions. These prespore-specific mRNAs were found to be both temporally and quantitatively coordinate under all conditions indicating that they may be subject to identical regulatory processes. Accumulation of the spore coat mRNAs is dependent upon the function of both cAMP receptors and G alpha 2 proteins during the aggregation stage as well as upon concomitant protein synthesis. When cells are dissociated from aggregates at 10 hr of development and rapidly shaken in 0.1 mM EDTA they form clumps but do not accumulate any of the prespore-specific RNAs assayed. However, if either 0.1 mM Ca++ or 20 microM cAMP is added to these cells, the spore coat mRNAs accumulate. Lower concentrations of either Ca++ or cAMP had no effect. These results suggest that expression of the spore coat genes normally involves a Ca+(+)-dependent process, but the Ca++ requirement can be overcome by adding high concentrations of exogenous cAMP. Addition of 50 nM DIF to dissociated cell blocks the accumulation of the spore coat mRNAs even when cAMP or Ca++ is present. The upstream regions of the spore coat genes were compared to those of another gene, D19, that codes for the prespore-specific protein SP29. Short sequences related to CACCCAC were found at about the same position relative to the transcriptional start sites of these coordinately regulated genes.

Spore coat genes SP60 and SP70 of Dictyostelium discoideum.

We cloned and sequenced the genes for two of the major proteins found in spore coats of Dictyostelium discoideum. The predicted translation product of each of these genes starts with a hydrophobic signal sequence that is subsequently cleaved. Expression of these spore coat genes is coordinate in prespore cells.