Abstract
Significant differences appeared in the patterns of membrane proteins from Dictyostelium mucoroides amoebae at selected times during growth and development along two alternate courses. Synchronous development of amoebae in the sorocarp or macrocyst pathway was obtained by placing amoebae grown in liquid cultures onto premoistened filters and incubating under appropriate conditions. Membranes were isolated using a two-phase polymer system and proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The major change in protein banding patterns occurred immediately after vegetative growth. Proteins with apparent molecular weights of 15, 21, 30, 35, and 42 kDa showed the most pronounced differences during development. Proteins banding at 67 and 87 kDa were more prominent in amoebae developing in the sorocarp pathway than in amoebae developing as macrocysts.