The origin of multicellular life from unicellular beings is an epochal step in the evolution of eukaryotes. There are several factors influencing cell fate choices during differentiation and morphogenesis of an organism. Genetic make-up of two cells that unite and fertilize is the key factor to signal the formation of various cell-types in due course of development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to their archaic life style and microbivor behavior, amoebae may represent a source of antimicrobial peptides and proteins. The amoebic protozoon has been a model organism in cell biology for decades and has recently also been used for research on host-pathogen interactions and the evolution of innate immunity. In the genome of , genes can be identified that potentially allow the synthesis of a variety of antimicrobial proteins.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThyroxine deiodinases, the enzymes that regulate thyroxine metabolism, are essential for vertebrate growth and development. In the genome of Dictyostelium discoideum, a single intronless gene (dio3) encoding type III thyroxine 5' deiodinase is present. The amino acid sequence of D.
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