Various dictyostelids from the environment can produce multilamellar bodies

Abstract

Multilamellar bodies (MLBs), structures composed of concentric membrane layers, are known to be produced by different protozoa, including species of ciliates, free-living amoebae, and Dictyostelium discoideum socialamoebae. Initially believed to be metabolic waste, potential roles like cell communication and food storage have been suggested for D. discoideum MLBs, which could be useful for the multicellular development of social amoebae and as a food source. However, among dictyostelids, this phenomenon has only been observed with D. discoideum, and mainly with laboratory strains grown in axenic conditions. It was thought that other social amoebae may also produce MLBs. Four environmental social amoeba isolates were characterized. All strains belong to the Dictyostelium genus, including some likely to be Dictyostelium giganteum. They have distinctive phenotypes comprising their growth rate on Klebsiella aerogenes lawns and the morphology of their fruiting bodies. They all produce MLBs like those produced by a D. disodium laboratory strain when grown on K. aerogenes lawns, as revealed by analysis using the H36 antibody in epifluorescence microscopy as well as by transmission electron microscopy.Consequently,thisstudyshowsthatMLBsareproducedbyvariousdictyostelidspecies,whichfurther supports a role for MLBs in the lifestyle of amoebae.