cGMP as second messenger during Dictyostelium chemotaxis.

The chemoattractant cAMP induces directed cell locomotion in Dictyostelium cells. Several second messenger pathways are activated upon binding of cAMP to G-protein-coupled receptors, including adenylyl cyclase, guanylyl cyclase, phospholipase C, and the opening of plasma membrane Ca2+ channels. These second messenger responses are unaltered in many chemotactic mutants, except for the cGMP response. Activation of guanylyl cyclase depends on G-proteins and is regulated by a cGMP-binding protein in a complex manner. This cGMP-binding protein also mediates intracellular functions of cGMP to activate a PKC-related kinase that phosphorylates myosin II heavy chain, thereby allowing myosin filaments to rearrange during cell movement.