Waddell D R, Duffy K T
J Cell Biol. 1986 Jan;102(1):298-305. doi: 10.1083/jcb.102.1.298.
Dictyostelium caveatum amebas feed upon both bacteria and the amebas of other cellular slime molds. The capacity to feed extensively upon other cellular slime molds is unique to D. caveatum amebas. They are able to phagocytose amebas larger than themselves by nibbling pieces of the cells until they are small enough to ingest. Here we report the isolation from previously cloned stock cultures of stable, cannibalistic strains of D. caveatum in which self/nonself recognition has broken down. Because of the extensive cannibalism, amebas of these strains do not complete multicellular development, and instead wander about for long periods while feeding upon each other. Although the cannibalistic behavior resembles that exhibited by the presumably diploid giant cells in the sexual cycle of other cellular slime molds, these strains are haploid and do not form macrocysts.
洞穴盘基网柄菌变形虫以细菌和其他细胞黏菌的变形虫为食。能够大量捕食其他细胞黏菌的能力是洞穴盘基网柄菌变形虫所独有的。它们能够通过啃食细胞碎片，吞噬比自身更大的变形虫，直到这些碎片小到可以被摄取。在此，我们报告从先前克隆的原种培养物中分离出了洞穴盘基网柄菌稳定的同类相食菌株，其中自我/非自我识别已经瓦解。由于广泛的同类相食行为，这些菌株的变形虫无法完成多细胞发育，而是在相互捕食时长时间四处游荡。尽管这种同类相食行为类似于其他细胞黏菌有性周期中可能为二倍体的巨型细胞所表现出的行为，但这些菌株是单倍体，不会形成大囊胞。
