The isolation of DNA-like RNA and ribosomal RNA from the nucleolo-chromosomal apparatus of mammalian cells

That 70s show: regulation, evolution and development beyond molecular genetics

This paper argues that the "long 1970s" (1969-1983) is an important though often overlooked period in the development of a rich landscape in the research of metabolism, development, and evolution. The period is marked by: shrinking public funding of basic science, shifting research agendas in molecular biology, the incorporation of new phenomena and experimental tools from previous biological research at the molecular level, and the development of recombinant DNA techniques. Research was reoriented towards eukaryotic cells and development, and in particular towards "giant" RNA processing and transcription. We will here focus on three different models of developmental regulation published in that period: the two models of eukaryotic genetic regulation at the transcriptional level that were developed by Georgii P. Georgiev on the one hand, and by Roy Britten and Eric Davidson on the other; and the model of genetic sufficiency and evolution of regulatory genes proposed by Emile Zuckerkandl. These three bases illustrate the range of exploratory hypotheses that characterised the challenging landscape of gene regulation in the 1970s, a period that in hindsight can be labelled as transitional, between the biology at the laboratory bench of the preceding period, and the biology of genetic engineering and intensive data-driven research that followed.

A chemical and physical characterization of echinoid RNA during early embryogenesis

The properties of the major RNA components prepared from Arbacia punctulata have been characterized by sedimentation in sucrose gradients and analysis of base composition. Comparison of the components found in the unfertilized egg with those observed subsequent to fertilization revealed no differences in any of the embryonic stages examined. The base composition and sedimentation profiles of RNA from unfertilized nuclear egg fragments and from 105,000 g pellet were similar to those of the intact egg. It is concluded that the early stages of embryogenesis are not accompanied by detectable alteration of the physical or chemical characteristics of the major RNA components found in the unfertilized egg.

Synthesis of messenger ribonucleic acid in excised pea-seedling root segments. Separation of the messenger from microsomes by electrophoresis

1. Electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membrane in a tris-pyrophosphate buffer was used to separate microsomal fractions into three components: (1) the lipoprotein; (2) the nucleoprotein (termed the beta-band); (3) traces of free RNA (termed the alpha-band). In tris buffer containing Mg(2+) the alpha-band was not obtained. 2. The incorporation of uridine and phosphate into RNA by excised pea-seedling root segments was studied by using this electrophoretic technique. 3. It was shown that after a short (;pulse') incubation in the radioactive precursor and a longer (;chase') incubation in the non-radioactive precursor most of the incorporation was into the RNA of the alpha-band and little into that of the beta-band. Previous work showed that in roots of whole seedlings the incorporation is mostly into the ribosomal RNA, corresponding to the material in the beta-band. 4. A pulse-labelled RNA has also been found; this seems to be a cell fraction distinct from the microsomes or ribosomes. 5. The apparent base compositions of labelled RNA in the alpha-band and small amounts of labelled RNA in the beta-band and of unfractionated RNA were very different from the composition of ribosomal or transfer RNA, and somewhat like that of DNA. 6. It is suggested that the excised root segment synthesizes a messenger-RNA fraction labelled after a pulse incubation and a distinct messenger RNA labelled after a pulse and chase incubation, but no ribosomal or transfer RNA. The system is thus similar to the ;step-down' culture conditions in bacteria.

THE BASE COMPOSITION OF RIBONUCLEIC ACID IN LAMPBRUSH CHROMOSOMES, NUCLEOLI, NUCLEAR SAP, AND CYTOPLASM OF TRITURUS OOCYTES

The base composition of RNA's extracted from chromosomes, nucleoli, nuclear sap, and cytoplasm of Triturus oocytes has been determined by microelectrophoresis. The chromosomal RNA has a content of guanine+cytosine equal to that of DNA, but there is no complementarity in the composition as for DNA. Nuclear sap contains a highly variable RNA with a tendency towards high uracil values. Nucleolar and cytoplasmic RNA's are similar in composition and both are of the guanine-cytosine rich type. The chromosomes and nucleoli contain roughly equivalent amounts of RNA, somewhat less than is present in the nuclear sap. The RNA/DNA ratio of the whole chromosomes is about 10. However, the ratio in the synthetically active regions, the loops, is much higher, since the loops contain all the chromosomal RNA but only a small fraction of the DNA.

Alkylation of RNA by vinyl chloride metabolites in vitro and in vivo: formation of 1-N(6)-etheno-adenosine

Rat liver microsomes were incubated with NADPH, 1,2-[(14)C] vinyl chloride and poly-adenosine. The latter was reisolated from the incubations and hydrolyzed. The radioactivity, originating from [(14)C] vinyl chloride, which was irreversibly attached to the poly-adenosine was confined to 1-N(6)-etheno-adenosine (3beta-ribofuranosyl-imidazo [2,1,i] purine). When rats were exposed to 1,2-[(14)C] vinyl chloride, part of the radioactivity was incorporated into RNA of liver. This radioactive labelling exhibited a first maximum, 14 h, and a second maximum, 72 h after ending the exposure. Analysis of hydrolysate of liver RNA showed that all natural nucleosides of RNA were labelled. Besides, small amounts of radioactivity could be detected which were confined to 1-N(6)-etheno-adenosine. The experiments support the theory that vinyl chloride metabolites react with adenosine moieties of nucleic acid under formation of 1-N(6)-etheno-adenosine. Furthermore, the results show that measurement of incorporation of radioactivity into nucleic acids after exposure of animals to radioactive vinyl chloride is not applicable as a means of determining the alkylating potency of vinyl chloride metabolites towards nucleic acids in vivo.

A model for cytoplasm-governed gene regulation

A model of cytoplasm-governed transcription is presented. The nuclear membrane has a selective permeability towards nuclear pre-mRNA molecules which are provided with group-specific non-translated "passwords". RNA transcription on the chromatin proceeds under a dual control. One of them is gene regulation according to the Britten-Davidson and Georgiev models. The other is cytoplasm-governed regulation mediated through the selective transport of mRNA from nucleus to cytoplasm. Pre-mRNA molecules which are not "in immediate demand" by the cytoplasm and therefore accumulating the nucleus repress their own synthesis by end-product inhibition. The interrelationship of the two types of regulation in the course of cell development is discussed.

Effects of gamma-irradiation on biosynthesis of different types of ribonucleic acids in normal and regenerating rat liver

1. The effect of gamma-irradiation (4000rd) on the synthesis of ribosomal (pre-rRNA) and heterogeneous nuclear RNA (pre-mRNA) in normal and in regenerating rat liver was studied by using 40 min labelling with [6(-14)C]orotic acid. 2. Partial hepatectomy caused a sharp transient increase in the specific radioactivity of the endogenous low-molecular-weight RNA precursors in the livers of both normal and irradiated rats. Irradiation of intact animals did not affect the pool. 3. Irradiation enhanced the synthesis of pre-rRNA for at least 12h. The synthesis of pre-mRNA was also enhanced, but only in the first 3h after irradiation. 4. Partial hepatectomy strongly stimulated the synthesis of both pre-rRNA and pre-mRNA. 5. The synthesis of pre-rRNA was enhanced also in regenerating liver of animals irradiated before or after the operation. The conclusion can be drawn that the early increase in the synthesis of ribosomal RNA is a non-specific cellular response to different injuring factors. 6. The only case where irradiation caused an early inhibition of RNA synthesis was that of pre-mRNA in regenerating liver. This supports the hypothesis that ionizing radiation does not suppress the transcription per se but affects the mechanisms of activation of new genes (cellular programming).

Fractionation of nuclear and cytoplasmic ribonucleic acids from rat tissues on the methylated albumin--kieselguhr column

1. The conformation of RNA was found to affect its behaviour on methylated albumin-kieselguhr chromatography. The less regular the secondary structure of RNA, the more tightly it binds to the methylated albumin-kieselguhr column. 2. The presence of various denaturing agents (such as urea or perchlorate) in the medium while RNA was adsorbed on the column increased the resolving power of the technique as exemplified by the separation of rat liver rRNA into two distinct peaks. A special procedure for selective adsorption of the cytoplasmic DNA-like RNA on the preparative scale has been developed. Polyribosomal mRNA (rapidly labelled RNA formed in the presence of small doses of actinomycin D) can also be adsorbed selectively by the column. 3. A type of tissue specificity was detected in nuclear RNA from rat liver, kidney, thymus and spleen by using a modified salt and temperature gradient for the chromatographic fractionation (Lichtenstein, Piker & Shapot, 1967; Shapot, Lichtenstein & Piker, 1967). It was also found that cytoplasmic RNA from the different rat tissues contained no tenaciously bound fraction at all, whereas it constituted about 50% of the nuclear RNA. The problem of the possible biological function of the tenaciously bound fraction is discussed.

Characterization of rapidly labelled rat liver ribonucleic acid showing high affinity for columns of methylated albumin on kieselguhr

Most of the rapidly labelled RNA from rat liver submitted to column chromatography on methylated albumin on kieselguhr remains tightly bound to the column and can only be recovered by elution with m-ammonia. The tightly bound RNA is composed mainly of DNA-like RNA. The binding capacity is dependent not only on base composition but also on molecular size: the heavier RNA molecules show a greater affinity to the column than do the lower-molecular-weight components. Rapidly labelled mouse liver and Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA show similar behaviour to rat liver RNA on columns of methylated albumin on kieselguhr.

The effect of chick-liver ribonucleic acid on amino acid-incorporation systems from rat liver

1. Rat-liver microsomes, ribonucleoprotein particles and a fraction mainly consisting of microsomal membranes were tested for their ability to incorporate amino acids into protein in the presence of ATP, GTP, phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate kinase. Addition of polyuridylic acid or of ribonucleic acid from rat-liver nuclei stimulated the incorporating activities. 2. These protein-synthesizing systems were found to be susceptible to ribonucleic acid from chick-liver nuclei as well. The biological activity of the ribonucleic acid from chick liver was measured by its capacity to stimulate amino acid incorporation. 3. In the presence of chick-liver ribonucleic acid, the ribonucleoprotein particles from rat liver showed an increased radioactivity in ribosomal units with a sedimentation constant higher than 70s. 4. This was investigated by sucrose-gradient centrifugation or by column chromatography on agarose suspensions.

Role of the residual nucleoprotein complex and acidic proteins of the cell nucleus in protein synthesis

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