Ferrara, Billy T ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2163-4032 and Thompson, Elinor P ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6434-9290 (2026) From feeding cell to fruiting body: multidrug transport in the life cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum. In: Poole, Robert K. and Kelly, David J., (eds.) Advances in Microbial Physiology. Academic Press - Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc., London, United Kingdom, pp. 289-364. ISBN 978-0443470585 ISSN 0065‑2911 (Print), 2162‑5468 (Online) (doi:10.1016/bs.ampbs.2026.02.002)

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Abstract

Transport is instrumental to all aspects of life. At the microbial level, transport mechanisms mediate physiology, nutrition and defence, but also impact clinical medicine, requiring consideration in drug mode of action through to target-cell efflux. Whereas efflux of toxic compounds is critical to survival of all cells, this evolutionarily conserved mechanism also mediates the medical threat of antibiotic resistance. Multidrug transporters are therefore a large and important family of proteins across evolution. Their function in membranes of the eukaryotic model microbe, Dictyostelium discoideum, are not well documented, despite exquisitely dissected genetics and mechanics for transport via membrane trafficking. MDR proteins in this amoeba are worthy of greater attention, however. The Dictyostelium genetic complement has proven relevance to many aspects of human disease pathology and pathogen interactions with host, whereas transporter roles have been little-explored in the organism’s fascinating life cycle of chemotaxis, cooperation and cell differentiation. By documenting the MDR protein complement in D. discoideum, compiling the sparse reports of experimentally characterised transporters, and integrating RNAseq through the life cycle with transcriptomics co-expression data, this review aims to highlight questions and key areas of interest for the ABC, MFS, MATE, SMR/DMT, RND, AbgT, and PACE transporter groups. Whether as parts for synthetic biology application, natural product biosynthetic gene cluster identification, or for understanding resistance in pharmaceutical research, there are key applied areas of learning alongside discovering evolutionarily conserved roles in microbial physiology.

Item Type:	Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords:	transporter, Dictyostelium, membrane protein
Subjects:	Q Science > Q Science (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Science (SCI)
Last Modified:	08 Jun 2026 14:12
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/51947

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