The role of the cell cycle in differentiation of the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum.

During development and differentiation of the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum there appears to be a relationship between the cell cycle and cell fate: amoebae halted in G2 phase during early development differentiate into spores whereas stalk cells are formed from amoebae halted in G1 phase. It is proposed that this is because a major effect of the cell cycle is to generate heterogeneity in the cell surface properties of the developing amoebae.