The formation of actin rods composed of actin tubules in Dictyostelium discoideum spores.

A new type of actin rod formed in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm, as well as tyrosine phosphorylation of actin, is implicated in the maintenance of dormancy and viability of Dictyostelium discoideum spores. Here the ultrastructure of the rods and their relationship to the phosphorylation of actin were examined. The rods first appeared in premature spores at the midculmination stage as bundles composed of actin tubules hexagonally cross-linked. The 13-nm-diameter bundles were composed of three actin filaments. Formation of the actin rods begins during the late culmination stage and proceeds until 2 days after completion of fruiting bodies. The physical events occur in the following order; association of several modules of bundles, close packing and decrease in diameter of actin tubules, elongation of rods across the nucleus or the cytoplasm. Actin phosphorylation levels increased at the late culmination stage and reached a maximum level 12 h later. Immediately following activation of spore germination, actin was rapidly dephosphorylated, followed shortly thereafter by the disappearance of rods. Shortened actin tubules once again became arranged in a hexagonal pattern. This hexagonal arrangement of actin tubules is possibly involved in rod formation and disappearance and does not depend upon actin phosphorylation. In contrast, rod-maturation processes may correlate with actin phosphorylation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science (USA).