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First published online 31 October 2006
doi: 10.1242/jcs.03248

Journal of Cell Science 119, 4741-4748 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
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Research Article

Influx of extracellular Ca2+ is necessary for electrotaxis in Dictyostelium

Lynne J. Shanley1, Petr Walczysko1, Mary Bain1, David J. MacEwan1,2 and Min Zhao1,*

1 School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK
2 School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

* Author for correspondence (e-mail: m.zhao{at}abdn.ac.uk)

Accepted 7 September 2006

Intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) is a pivotal signalling element in cell migration and is thought to be required for chemotaxis of Dictyostelium. Ca2+ signalling may also be important for electrotaxis. However this suggestion has been controversial. We show that electric fields direct Dictyostelium cells to migrate cathodally and increase [Ca2+]i in Dictyostelium cells, as determined by Fluo-3 AM imaging and 45Ca2+ uptake. Omission of extracellular Ca2+([Ca2+]e) and incubation with EGTA abolished the electric-field-stimulated [Ca2+]i rise and directional cell migration. This suggests a requirement for [Ca2+]e in the electrotactic response. Deletion of iplA, a gene responsible for chemoattractant-induced [Ca2+]i increase, had only a minor effect on the electric-field-induced [Ca2+]i rise. Moreover, iplA-null Dictyostelium cells showed the same electrotactic response as wild-type cells. Therefore, iplA-independent Ca2+ influx is necessary for electrotactic cell migration. These results suggest that the [Ca2+]i regulatory mechanisms induced by electric fields are different from those induced by cAMP and folic acid in Dictyostelium cells. Different roles of the iplA gene in chemoattractant-induced and electrically induced Ca2+ signalling, and different effects of [Ca2+]i elevation on chemotaxis and electrotaxis indicate that the chemoattractant and electric cues activate distinctive initial signalling elements.

Key words: Calcium, Cell migration, Dictyostelium, iplA, Electrotaxis




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