Implications of Differential Chemotaxis and Cohesiveness for Cell Sorting in the Development of Dictyostelium discoideum

Cell sorting behavior was observed during the development of Dictyostelium discoideum Ax-2, between cells grown with [G(+) cells] and without [G(-) cells] glucose. Development of the G(-) cells was about 2-3 hr faster, as reflected by differences in chemotactic sensitivity of the cells and cell cohesiveness. Among various mixing combinations of G(-) and G(+) cells, the most clear sorting occured when vegetative G(+) cells were mixed with G(-) cells which had been allowed to develop for 3 hr, the G(-) cells being located in the anterior prestalk region of a migrating slug. In contrast, vegetative G(-) cells moved to the posterior prespore region of a slug when mixed with G(+) cells which had developed for 6 hr. These findings indicate a close relationship of the cellular developmental stage to the sorting behavior. Possible implications of the differential chemotactic ability and cohesiveness for the sorting mechanism are disscussed.