Understanding the ecological roles of dictyostelid social amoebae for a sustainable future

• Main Author: Pasookhush P.
• Other Authors: Mahidol University
• Format: Book Chapter
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Immunology and Microbiology
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/85045

Dictyostelid social amoebae or cellular slime moulds are a significant group of terrestrial unicellular eukaryotic microbes. Their life cycles are fascinating due to their aggregation into a multicellular slug-like organism and differentiation into a fruiting body. They are predicted to be highly diverse, with about 150 species currently discovered. The systematics and evolution of dictyostelids are not completely clear but significant progress has been made in the last decade. The modern classification has divided them into four families, with 12 genera. The ecological roles of dictyostelids are to control the bacterial population and cycle some minerals in soils. Dictyostelids can be found on all continents and in all ecosystems. Interestingly, the dictyostelid genome carries several genes involving bioactive compounds and antibiotic biosynthesis, thus these organisms could be a novel source of natural products.