ANTISENSE RNA INACTIVATION OF GP138 GENE-EXPRESSION RESULTS IN REPRESSION OF SEXUAL CELL-FUSION IN DICTYOSTELIUM-DISCOIDEUM

A glycoprotein, gp138, is implicated in the sexual cell fusion of Dict yostelium discoideum. We previously cloned and sequenced the two genes encoding the gp138 protein, GP138A and GP138B (Fang et al. (1993) Dev . Biol. 156, 201-208). Here, we have constructed a vector producing an tisense RNA for the gp138 genes and have transformed the vector into D ictyostelium cells. The transformed cells showed a reduction in the am ounts of gp138 mRNA and protein and their sexual cell fusion activity was considerably repressed.