We have identified a Ca(2+)-dependent polyphosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C activity in Dictyostelium discoideum. Addition of Ca2+ (20 microM) results in the rapid formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3 within 5 s and leads to sustained inositol phosphate production for up to 40 min in membranes prepared from [3H]inositol-labelled cells. The phospholipase C activity is primarily membrane-bound under the conditions used to lyse the cells. In addition to this activity we also identified a family of Ca(2+)-regulated phospholipase activities active on a range of phospholipid substrates, using [3H]palmitate labelling. Inositol-specific phospholipase C activity is highest in vegetatively growing cells and in starved cells during the first 6 h in development, during which time Ca2+ elicited a 5-fold stimulation of inositol phosphate formation. After this time, total activity decreased progressively until 15 h, after which the activity remained constant up until 24 h. During this period, Ca2+ was able to stimulate a 2-fold increase in inositol phosphates.