Developmental expression profile of Dictyostelium discoideum: wild type (AX2) and polyketide synthase knock-out mutants

Knockout mutants of polyketide synthase genes were generated (pks1, pks2, pks3, pks14, pks18, pks37) and compared to wild-type AX2 strain of Dictyostelium discoideum using Agilent custom microarrays. The Dictyostelium cells were harvested at eight developmental stages (Amoeboid, Intiation of starvation, loose aggregate, Streaming, Mound, Slug, early culminant, Fruiting body) and subjected to microarray based expression profiling. Six pks mutant strains (pks1, pks2, pks3, pks14, pks18, pks37) were compared to a wild type strain. Thus, seven strains were used in total. Each strain was studied during eight developmental stages (Amoeboid, Starvation, Loose Aggregate, Streaming, Mound, Slug, Early Culminant, Fruiting Body) thus leading to 56 samples.