Signal Transduction Mechanisms in Protozoa

Using Inhibitors to Investigate the Involvement of Cell Signaling in Predation by Marine Phagotrophic Protists

“…These mechanisms have been shown to operate in ''model'' cells ranging from protists to mammalian white blood cells (Alberts et al 2002;Devreotes and Janetopoulos 2003;Gomperts et al 2004;Haribabu et al 1999;Hunter 2000;King and Carroll 2001;Manahan et al 2004;Rasmussen et al 1996;Renaud et al 2004;Rosales 2005;Traynor et al 2000;Van Haastert and Devreotes 2004). It is likely that such cellular processes are vitally important in determining prey selection, capture success, and rates of ingestion among heterotrophic protists in the sea.…”

“…Phosphorylation of specific proteins is known to be a widely used molecular mechanism involved in switch-like outputs in cell behavior (Alberts et al 2002;Gomperts, Kramer, and Tatham 2004;Hunter 2000;Rasmussen et al 1996). Tyrosine kinase proteins in particular are important in phagocytosis in both animal and protist cells (King, Hittinger, and Caroll 2003;Renaud et al 2004;Rosales 2005).G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a ubiquitous part of the cellular machinery in a range of eukaryotes, including protists (Van Haastert and Devreotes 2004). GPCRs have been show to be part of the chemosensory machinery used by immune cells in mammalian systems (Devreotes and Janetopoulos 2003;Haribabu et al 1999) and in the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum (Manahan et al 2004;Traynor et al 2000).…”

“…Phosphorylation of specific proteins is known to be a widely used molecular mechanism involved in switch-like outputs in cell behavior (Alberts et al 2002;Gomperts, Kramer, and Tatham 2004;Hunter 2000;Rasmussen et al 1996). Tyrosine kinase proteins in particular are important in phagocytosis in both animal and protist cells (King, Hittinger, and Caroll 2003;Renaud et al 2004;Rosales 2005).…”

Subversion of Phytomyxae Cell Communication With Surrounding Environment to Control Soilborne Diseases; A Case Study of Cytosolic Ca2+ Signal Disruption in Zoospores of Spongospora subterranea

“…These chemical cues are, however, unable to transcend the zoospore cell membrane, because they are either too large or too charged ( Walrant et al, 2017 ). Thus, just as in more complex organisms, these unicellular organisms have evolved elaborate mechanisms to perceive signals ( Renaud et al, 2004 ), comprising the transduction triad of receptors, transducers, and effectors ( Trewavas and Malho, 1997 ). Signals or primary stimuli are first perceived by transmembrane receptors, the transducers decode and relay the signal intracellularly to the effectors for appropriate action ( Trewavas and Malho, 1997 ).…”