Disruption of the ifkA and ifkB genes results in altered cell adhesion, morphological defects and a propensity to form pre-stalk O cells during development of Dictyostelium

IfkA and ifkB are two GCN2-like genes present in Dictyostelium. Disruption of either gene alone results in subtle developmental defects. However, disruption of ifkA and ifkB within the same strain results in severe morphological and patterning defects in the developing double null cells. The mutant cells aggregate in streams that give tightly clumped mounds. Fingers form from the mounds but remain attached to one another, especially at their bases. The fingers culminate to give fused and entangled structures lacking proper stalk but containing some spores. The morphological defects are consistent with an enhanced cell–cell and cell–substrate adhesiveness of the developing double null cells, which may result in inappropriate cell contacts and altered cell motility and sorting properties. In ifkA/ifkB nulls, cell type proportioning and patterning is altered in favor of ALC/pstO cell types. The bias toward the ALC/pstO cell types may be due, in part, to the nuclear localization of the transcription factor STATc in growing ifkA/ifkB null cells. STATc normally becomes localized to the nucleus during finger formation and only within the pre-stalk O zone. The precocious nuclear localization seen in the mutant cells may predispose the cells to a ALC/pstO cell fate. The findings indicate that IfkA and IfkB have redundant functions in Dictyostelium morphogenesis that involve maintaining proper cell–cell and cell–substrate adhesion and the equilibrium between different cell types for proper spatial patterning.