Moving the research forward: the best of British biology using the tractable model system Dictyostelium discoideum

Williams, R. S.B., Chubb, J. R., Insall, R. , King, J. S., Pears, C. J., Thompson, E. and Weijer, C. J. (2021) Moving the research forward: the best of British biology using the tractable model system Dictyostelium discoideum. Cells, 10(11), 3036. (doi: 10.3390/cells10113036) (PMID:34831258) (PMCID:PMC8616412)

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Abstract

The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum provides an excellent model for research across a broad range of disciplines within biology. The organism diverged from the plant, yeast, fungi and animal kingdoms around 1 billion years ago but retains common aspects found in these kingdoms. Dictyostelium has a low level of genetic complexity and provides a range of molecular, cellular, biochemical and developmental biology experimental techniques, enabling multidisciplinary studies to be carried out in a wide range of areas, leading to research breakthroughs. Numerous laboratories within the United Kingdom employ Dictyostelium as their core research model. This review introduces Dictyostelium and then highlights research from several leading British research laboratories, covering their distinct areas of research, the benefits of using the model, and the breakthroughs that have arisen due to the use of Dictyostelium as a tractable model system.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:R.S.B.W. received funding from the Wellcome Trust, BBSRC, NC3Rs and Vitaflo Ltd. for the described studies. J.S.K. is funded by The Royal Society Fellowship (UF140624) as well as by studentships from the BBSRC and MRC. J.R.C’s recent work was supported by a Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship (202867/Z/16/Z) and a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council project grant (BB/K017004/1). Work in CJP’s lab is funded by NC3Rs (NC/M000834/1 and NCK500355/1 CrackIt Solutions Funding) and MRC (MR/P028284/1).
Keywords:Chemotaxis, Dictyostelium discoideum, slime mould, social amoeba, phagocytosis, autophagy, macropinocytosis, development.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Insall, Professor Robert
Authors: Williams, R. S.B., Chubb, J. R., Insall, R., King, J. S., Pears, C. J., Thompson, E., and Weijer, C. J.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
Journal Name:Cells
Publisher:MDPI
ISSN:2073-4409
ISSN (Online):2073-4409
Published Online:05 November 2021
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2021 The Authors
First Published:First published in Cells 10(11): 3036
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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