Abstract
Autocrine factors prevent cell death in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, a unicellular eukaryote, in a chemically defined medium. At certain growth conditions these factors are released at a sufficient concentration by > 500 cells ml-1 to support cell survival and proliferation. The protein kinase C activators phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or 1-oleyl 2-acetate glycerol (OAG) when added to 250 cells ml-1 supported cell survival and proliferation. In the presence of the serine and threonine kinase inhibitor staurosporine the cells died both at 250 cells ml-1 in cultures supplemented with either PMA or OAG, or at 2,500 cells ml-1. At 500 cells ml-1 PMA induced the in vivo phosphorylation of at least six proteins. The myelin basic protein fragment 4-14 was phosphorylated in vitro in crude extracts of a culture of 250,000 cells ml-1. Both the in vivo and the in vitro phosphorylation were inhibited by staurosporine.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Microbios |
Volume | 91 |
Issue number | 368-369 |
Pages (from-to) | 181-90 |
Number of pages | 9 |
ISSN | 0026-2633 |
Publication status | Published - 1997 |
Externally published | Yes |