Cannibal Slime Molds??

[RyChu]

I know that slime molds can fuse together to become one organism but can they consume each other? Will one in the plasmodium stage consume one in the sclerotium stage? How about different species? Can we disguise their chemical signature (or whatever they use to identify each other) and cause them to consume each other when they normally wouldn't?

[ian]

This is something I've been wondering about a way to study. Some (presumably - since haven't had them sequenced) genetically distinct plasmodia fuse when they meet. Some avoid each other and one strain ( A - yes  I need to work on names) causes rapid and revolting necrosis to other strains ( https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj4z-0Lxc-s) You have to wonder in the merger whether one strains nucleii take over and it's just a more subtle attack or whether genetically different nucleii can hang around in the same cytoplasm. I'll need to find a nuclear stain that isn't rapidly fatal to make even vague inroads on that.