Spatial and temporal organization of intracellular adenine nucleotides and cyclic nucleotides in relation to rhythmic motility in Physarum plasmodium.

Spatio-temporal organization of a migrating plasmodium was studied both by analysing intracellular concentrations of adenine and cyclic nucleotides and by applying image processing for recording oscillatory changes in thickness with use of microcomputers. ATP and ADP concentrations were about twice as high in the front as in the rear, while AMP distributed uniformly. On the other hand, cAMP and cGMP concentrations were several times higher in the rear than in the front, showing oscillations in between. The cAMP concentrations at the front oscillated with a phase advancing about one-third of the period with respect to the phase of the thickness oscillation, while cGMP concentration there varied only little. ATP concentration oscillated concomitantly with H+. A feedback control loop consisting of (ATP-H+)-cAMP-Ca2+ is proposed. The possible mechanism of rhythmic contractions involving mitochondria which may excrete pulses of Ca2+ and induce cell polarization is discussed.