Detection and characterisation of NAD(P)H-diaphorase activity in Dictyostelium discoideum cells (Protozoa)

Abstract

In Dictyostelium discoideum (D. discoideum), compounds generating nitric oxide (NO) inhibit its aggregation and differentiation without altering cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production. They do it by preventing initiation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pulses. Furthermore, these compounds stimulate adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation of a 41 kDa cytosolic protein and regulate the glyceraldehyde-3-phospate dehydrogenase activity. Yet, although D. discoideum cells produce NO at a relatively constant rate at the onset of their developmental cycle, there is still no evidence of the presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes. In this work, we detect the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity in D. discoideum and we characterise it by specific inhibitors and physical-chemical conditions that allegedly distinguish between NOS-related and -unrelated NADPH-d activity.

Effect of 808 nm Diode Laser on Swimming Behavior, Food Vacuole Formation and Endogenous ATP Production of Paramecium primaurelia (Protozoa)

“…Furthermore, because of a common ancestor with the metazoan, the experimental response of the protozoa can be correlated with those of the more‐developed organisms . It is important to emphasize how in protozoa, the identification of molecules responsible for neurotransmission in metazoan as well as the genome sequencing of several protozoa , has demonstrated that they can represent excellent bioassay in field studies on human health such as the effects of pesticides and extremely low frequency electromagnetic field as well as PBM .…”

The Protozoan, Paramecium primaurelia, as a Non-sentient Model to Test Laser Light Irradiation: The Effects of an 808nm Infrared Laser Diode on Cellular Respiration

“…This means that the experimental responses of protozoa can be correlated with those of more-complex organisms (6). It is important to emphasise how the identification, in protozoans, of molecules responsible for neurotransmission that are similar to those in metazoans (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12), as well as the genomic sequence analyses of several protozoa (13,14), have demonstrated that they can represent excellent bioindicators in field studies on human health (15)(16)(17), including studies elucidating the effects of pesticides (6,18), extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (19)(20)(21)(22), and PBM (23)(24)(25).…”

The Effects of Temperature Variation on the Sensitivity to Pesticides: a Study on the Slime Mould Dictyostelium discoideum (Protozoa)

“…Our work suggests considering, in future regulations, about the use of pesticides as their toxic effect on non-target organisms is strongly influenced by climate temperatures that vary from season to season and from country to country and are constantly influenced by human activity. In addition, there is need for a new consideration of the protozoa, which takes into account recent researches about the presence in this microorganism of classical neurotransmitters [13,19,32,41,42] that, similar to those in animals, make protozoa an innocent target of neurotoxic pesticides in the battle against pest crops.…”