DNA replication in synchronized cultured mammalian cells. VI. The temporal replication of ribosomal cistrons in synchronized cell lines

Molecular and cytogenetic studies on nucleolar cistrons (rDNA) in mouse leukemia cells

The gene dosage change of nucleolar cistrons (rDNA) in tumor cells has not been extensively studied. The present studies showed that increased dosage, as well as abnormal distribution of rDNA, was frequently associated with leukemia cells of SL/Ni and AKR mice. In normal SL cells, 37%, 39%, and 25% of rDNA was located in nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) of chromosomes #12, #18, and #19, respectively. Increase of rDNA/DNA was shown by hybridization on filter membranes in SL1, SL2, SL3, and M1 leukemia cells. Direct measurement of rDNA/DNA in G1 cells revealed an 11% increase in synchronized M1 cells. The increased rDNA dosage was explained by trisomy 12 in SL1 and SL2, the ectopic NOR of #9 in SL3, and the double t(X;19) marker chromosomes in M1. On the other hand, in normal AKR cells, 27%, 29%, and 45% of rDNA was assigned to NORs of chromosomes #15, #16, and #18, respectively. The relative rDNA distribution among NORs estimated by autoradiographic grain counting was suggested to be abnormal in AKR leukemia cells despite their normal karyotype; 36% rDNA was shown to be in chromosomes #15 and #16, respectively, by relative reduction in chromosome #18 in AKR1; the trisomy 15 explained the increased rDNA in AKR2; a relative increase was found in chromosome #15 in AKR3. These results were discussed with reference to the reported NOR involvement in chromosome translocation and amplification in tumor cells.

Differential order of replication of Xenopus laevis 5S RNA genes

In Xenopus laevis there are two multigene families of 5S RNA genes: the oocyte-type 5S RNA genes which are expressed only in oocytes and the somatic-type 5S RNA genes which are expressed throughout development. The Xenopus 5S RNA replication-expression model of Gottesfeld and Bloomer (Cell 28:781-791, 1982) and Wormington et al. (Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 47:879-884, 1983) predicts that the somatic-type 5S RNA genes replicate earlier in the cell cycle than do the oocyte-type genes. Hence, the somatic-type 5S RNA genes have a competitive advantage in binding the transcription factor TFIIIA in somatic cells and are thereby expressed to the exclusion of the oocyte-type genes. To test the replication-expression model, we determined the order of replication of the oocyte- and somatic-type 5S RNA genes. Xenopus cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine, stained for DNA content, and then sorted into fractions of S phase by using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The newly replicated DNA containing bromodeoxyuridine was separated from the lighter, unreplicated DNA by equilibrium centrifugation and was hybridized with DNA probes specific for the oocyte- and somatic-type 5S RNA genes. In this way we found that the somatic-type 5S RNA genes replicate early in S phase, whereas the oocyte-type 5S RNA genes replicate late in S phase, demonstrating a key aspect of the replication-expression model.

Differential order of replication of Xenopus laevis 5S RNA genes

In Xenopus laevis there are two multigene families of 5S RNA genes: the oocyte-type 5S RNA genes which are expressed only in oocytes and the somatic-type 5S RNA genes which are expressed throughout development. The Xenopus 5S RNA replication-expression model of Gottesfeld and Bloomer (Cell 28:781-791, 1982) and Wormington et al. (Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 47:879-884, 1983) predicts that the somatic-type 5S RNA genes replicate earlier in the cell cycle than do the oocyte-type genes. Hence, the somatic-type 5S RNA genes have a competitive advantage in binding the transcription factor TFIIIA in somatic cells and are thereby expressed to the exclusion of the oocyte-type genes. To test the replication-expression model, we determined the order of replication of the oocyte- and somatic-type 5S RNA genes. Xenopus cells were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine, stained for DNA content, and then sorted into fractions of S phase by using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. The newly replicated DNA containing bromodeoxyuridine was separated from the lighter, unreplicated DNA by equilibrium centrifugation and was hybridized with DNA probes specific for the oocyte- and somatic-type 5S RNA genes. In this way we found that the somatic-type 5S RNA genes replicate early in S phase, whereas the oocyte-type 5S RNA genes replicate late in S phase, demonstrating a key aspect of the replication-expression model.

Incorporation of 5-bromodeoxyuridine in the total and ribosomal DNA of synchronously dividing chick embryo fibroblasts

The pattern of 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into ribosomal DNA is quantitatively different from that for total DNA. It is concluded that 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation along the DNA chain is not a random process.

Eukaryotic genome: model considerations

The paper presents a new model of chromosome structure based on the assumption that multiple circular subunits of DNA exist. The essential difference with previously described models is the circular DNA unit forms a central chromosome axis. Chromosome configurations during various phases of the cell cycle depend on the various conformations of this central integrating unit. The described model can be generalized for all haploid set of eukaryotic nucleus. Some aspects of the chromosome structure and their functions have been discussed.

High resolution analysis of the timing of replication of specific DNA sequences during S phase of mammalian cells

A new method, utilizing selective photodegradation of 5-bromo-deoxyuridine (BUdR)-substituted DNA and flow cytometry, has been developed for analyzing the timing of replication of specific DNA sequences. Chemically synchronized Chinese hamster ovary cells were given a pulse of the deoxythymidine analogue, BUdR, at different times during S phase, and flow sorted according to DNA content, before DNA isolation. Newly-replicated, unifilarly BUdR-substituted DNA was selectively degraded by treatment with 33258 Hoechst plus near UV light followed by S1 nuclease digestion; the resistant DNA was analyzed for its content of 18s and 28s rDNA or dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) sequences via Southern blot analysis. Both the rDNA and DHFR sequences were found to replicate almost entirely during the first quarter of S phase. The approach described should have general utility for analyzing replication kinetics of specific DNA sequences in mammalian cells.

DNAase I digestion of early, middle, and late S phase replicating DNA in murine leukemia L5178Y cells

Cellular DNA from a synchronized population of cultured mouse L5178Y cells was labeled with [3H]thymidine at three times during the S stage: early, middle and late S phases. The deoxyribonuclease I digestability of DNA from these three periods in the subsequent cell cycle indicated that the early S phase replicating DNA had higher enzymatic susceptibility at G1 and early S phases than at middle and late S phases, while the middle and late S phase replicating DNA demonstrated a low susceptibility throughout the cell cycle. This suggests that most, if not all, of transcriptionally active DNA is replicated very early in the S phase.

alpha-Globulin sequences are located in a region of early-replicating DNA in murine erythroleukemia cells

The time of replication in the S phase of regions of the mouse genome including the alpha-globin genes was determined in the murine erythroleukemia cell line transformed by Friend virus. Cells grown for short times in the presence of BrdUrd were fractionated into synchronous populations by centrifugal elutriation. The DNA was cleaved by restriction endonucleases, and fragments containing bromouracil (BrU-DNA) were isolated in density gradients of Cs2SO4. BrU-DNA fractions replicated during selected S-phase intervals were subjected to electrophoresis in agarose gels, transferred to diazobenzyloxymethyl-paper, and hybridized to an alpha-globin probe. Reconstruction experiments using a cloned mouse EcoRI fragment including one alpha-globin gene demonstrated that the extent of hybridization provides an accurate measurement that the extent of hybridization provides an accurate measurement of the concentrations of specific fragments in a DNA sample. The alpha-globin fragments were detected primarily in the BrU-DNA replicated during early S phase (approximately the first quarter of S). This result was confirmed in other synchrony experiments and by Cot analysis. (Cot is the initial concentration of DNA in mol of nucleotide per liter multiplied by the time in sec.) The temporal replication of mouse satellite sequences, already known from previous studies, was used as an internal control for cell synchrony. To show that the globin sequences were not lost from the cells in late S phase during isolation of the DNA, we quantitated th alpha-globin fragments in BrU-DNA prepared from a mixture of cells in early and late S phase. The results demonstrate that the alpha-globin gene regions in these cells are replicated during early S phase.

Cell-cycle dependency of BUdR-induced mutation for six genetic markers in cultured mammalian cells

Synchronized mouse L5178Y cells were treated with BUdR during each one of four sequential periods of the cell cycle (M-G1, early S, middle S and late S-G2). Among the 6 markers examined, asparagine independence (Asn+), 6-thioguanine resistance (TGr) and excess thymidine resistance (TdRr) showed maximal induction of mutation rates in the early S period, methotrexate resistance (MTXr) gave maximal induction during the middle S period, and two other markers [arabinosylcytosine resistance (Ara-Cr) and ouabain resistance (Ouar)] showed little mutation induction in any period under the experimental conditions. These results suggest that (i) genes responsible for Asn+, TGr and TdRr activity may be replicated in the early S period and the gene for MTXr activity replicated in the middle S period, and (ii) the mechanisms of mutation induction for the Ouar and Ara-Cr markers may be essentially different from those for the Asn+, TGr, TdRr and MTXr markers.