Pattern formation in cellular slime molds

During fruiting body formation in Polysphondylium, an aggregate of cells called the 'slug' lifts off from the substratum and starts to migrate aerially through a dead stalk. The ascending slug releases a globular mass of cells at regular intervals and in a short time this spherical mass, transforms into radially arranged secondary stalks each carrying a spore mass at the end. Thus a distinct spatial pattern emerges by the formation of secondary branches along a primary axis, the stalk. This formation of radial branches of stalks arising from a globular mass of cells represents a true 'symmetry breaking' event which we are investigating with conventional genetic and molecular approaches. The long term goal of this project is to find how different cells interact and signal each other to bring about a profound change in shape.