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Sex hormone of Dictyostelium discoideum is volatile

Nature volume 268, pages 730–731 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

THE macrocyst pathway of development represents the sexual cycle of the cellular slime moulds1–4. O'Day and Lewis5 have shown that the sexual interaction between opposite mating types of Dictyostelium discoideum is mediated by a low molecular weight, diffusible hormone. They also showed that only one mating-type strain (NC-4) was a secretor of the sexual hormone while the opposite strain (V-12) was a responder (that is, formed macrocysts). This sexual interaction was verified by MacHac and Bonner6 and was later shown to exist in another species, D. purpureum7. In our attempts to characterise the sexual system of D. discoideum, our results have revealed that the sexual hormone of this species is volatile.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Erindale College, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5L 1C6

    KEITH E. LEWIS & DANTON H. O'DAY

Authors
  1. KEITH E. LEWIS
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  2. DANTON H. O'DAY
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LEWIS, K., O'DAY, D. Sex hormone of Dictyostelium discoideum is volatile. Nature 268, 730–731 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268730a0

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