Slime molds (Dictyostelium discoideum) are amoebae that live in soil. Under normal conditions, they are single-celled organisms feeding on bacteria. However, when faced with starvation, they undergo a remarkable transformation.
The individual amoebae congregate into a multicellular slug and travel as a unit to a better location. When the slug finds a suitable spot, it transforms into a fruiting body with a clump of spores sitting atop a slender stalk. Remember, both the stalk and the spores were once free-living amoeba. Upon forming the fruiting body, the cells making up the stalk perish, whereas the cells that become spores live on. How do these jobs get divided up? Until recently, it was assumed that the first cells to run out of food would make up the stalk, whereas the cells who had the most food would become spores. In other words, the sickest cells would sacrifice themselves while the heartiest cells would continue on. It turns out, that’s completely wrong.
You can watch the slime mold life cycle below:
No comments:
Post a Comment