Changes in some Enzymes involved in DNA Biosynthesis following Induction of Division in Cultured Plant Cells

Cell cycling with the SEB: a personal view

This review, written from a personal perspective, traces firstly the development of plant cell cycle research from the 1970s onwards, with some focus on the work of the author and of Dr Dennis Francis. Secondly there is a discussion of the support for and discussion of plant cell cycle research in the SEB, especially through the activities of the Cell Cycle Group within the Society's Cell Biology Section. In the main part of the review, selected aspects of DNA replication that have of been of special interest to the author are discussed. These are DNA polymerases and associated proteins, pre-replication events, regulation of enzymes and other proteins, nature and activation of DNA replication origins, and DNA endoreduplication. For all these topics, there is mention of the author's own work, followed by a brief synthesis of current understanding and a look to possible future developments.

Isolation, characterization and expression of cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase genes in Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.)

Tuber explants of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) are a model system for cell-cycle re-entry from a quiescent state, involving the activation of division of tuber parenchyma cells in response to exogenous auxin. To enable molecular studies of this system, two cyclin (Heltu;CYCD1;1 and Heltu; CYCD3;1) and two cyclin-dependent kinase (Heltu; CDKA;1 and Heltu;CDKB1;1) genes have been isolated from a Jerusalem artichoke cDNA library and their expression demonstrated during the activation of cell division. It was found that CDKA;1 transcripts are present in quiescent tubers, whereas CYCD1;1, CYCD3;1 and CDKB1;1 transcripts are induced during cell-cycle re-entry as well as during bud growth of whole tubers. Both CYCD1;1 and CYCD3;1 transcripts appear shortly before, or coincident with, the onset of S phase.

DNA-polymerase activity detected in situ. Relationship between incorporation of 3H-deoxytriphosphates and 3H-actinomycin D binding during the cell cycle in antheridial filaments of Chara vulgaris L. Effect of auxin and cytokinins

DNA-polymerase activity during the cell cycle (S + G2 + M + C type) in antheridial filaments cells of Chara vulgaris was studied using the autoradiographic method. Incorporation of 3H-deoxytriphosphates (3H-dTPs) during the whole of interphase indicates, that the cell cycle is not accompanied by distinct changes in enzyme activity. Incorporation of 3H-dTPs was also observed in spermatids and in early stages of spermatogenesis. Intensity of 3H-dTPs incorporation during interphase and spermatogenesis is similar to the intensity of 3H-actinomycin D (3H-AMD) binding. Auxin (IAA) and kinetin stimulate both 3H-AMD binding and 3H-dTPs incorporation; benzyladenine does not affect any of these processes. The in situ autoradiographic method of detecting DNA-polymerase activity reveals availability of DNA template for the enzyme rather than DNA polymerase activity itself.

Activities of DNA polymerases and RNA polymerases detected in situ in growing and differentiating cells of root cortex

Activities of DNA polymerases and RNA polymerases were studied by autoradiographic methods in growing and differentiating root cortex cells of Zea mays - a species in which endomitosis occurs - and Tulipa kaufmanniana - in which this process does not occur. In Tulipa kaufmanniana, the highest activity of DNA polymerase appears in the nuclei of meristematic zone during the S phase of the cell cycle. In Zea mays, endomitotic replication of DNA occurs in all growth and differentiation zones and the activity of DNA polymerase in the nuclei is similar to that in the meristematic zone. In both species, nuclear RNA synthesis, measured with 3H uridine incorporation, is highest in the meristematic zone and declines steadily with development. Activity of nuclear RNA polymerase is present in all developmental zones in both species and is similar to that in the meristematic zone. 3H uridine incorporation into nucleoli decreases markedly in both species, whereas the activity of nucleolar RNA polymerase remains at a high level in all root segments in Zea mays and decreases slightly in Tulipa kaufmanniana. It is argued that the differences between the incorporation of 3H uridine and that or 3H UMP may be caused by a reduction of the pool of endogenous ribonucleoside triphosphates. Marked activities of DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase in cytoplasm are possibly related to the growth and division of plastids and mitochondria.

Partial purification and characterization of the soluble DNA polymerase (polymerase-α) from seedlings of Pisum sativum L

Soluble DNA polymerase has been extracted from pea seedlings and partially purified by chromatography on columns of DEAE-cellulose or DEAE-Sephadex. The enzyme elutes from DEAE-cellulose as a single peak, but is fractionated into three peaks, SI, SIa and SII by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. SIa and SII may be derived from SI by freeze-thaw treatment or by treatment with (NH4)2SO4. The ion and pH requirements and the sensitivity to N-ethyl maleimide of the pea seedling soluble DNA polymerase are similar to those of the DNA polymerase-α from vertebrates.

Nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions in the regulation of thymidine phosphorylation in Acetabularia

The activity of dT kinase (EC. 2. 7. 1. 75) was estimated during the development of nucleate and anucleate cells inAcetabularia. Enzyme activity increases as the cap attains its maximum diameter (Bannwarth & Schweiger 1975). Regulation of the dT kinase activity is observed even in the absence of the cell nucleus. Twelve to fifteen days after enucleation dT kinase activity increase sharply as the cap reaches its maximum diameter and decreases 5 days later. The increase is inhibited by puromycin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin and ethidium bromide but not by cycloheximide. These findings indicate that protein synthesis on 70S organelle ribosomes is involved in the regulation of the dT kinase. Since activities of mixtures from low activity cell extracts and from high activity cell extracts are additive, it is concluded that the regulation is not mediated through an activator protein but rather throughde novosynthesis of the enzyme protein.

Rapid decline thymidine kinase activity during differentiation of Naegleria

A logarithmically growing population of Naegleria gruberi differentiate into flagellates synchronously in about 85 to 90 minutes after the stimulation. Using this system, two separate enzymes that phosphorylate thymidine were assayed. Thymidine kinase activity decreases rapidly after the stimulation, while nucleoside phosphotransferase activity remains approximately constant. The possibility that this observed decrease in thymidine kinase activity is due to an expanded thymidine pool or to an increased phosphatase activity has been ruled out. Mixing experiments indicated that there is neither an activator of thymidine kinase in growing cells nor an inhibitor in differentiating cells. Thus, the observed decrease is likely to be due to an inactivation of the enzyme. Addition of actinomycin D or cycloheximide does not prevent the decrease in thymidine kinase activity suggesting that neither transcription nor translation is involved in the putative inactivation of thymidine kinase enzyme. There is very good correlation between the degree (or rate) of decrease in thymidine kinase activity and the percent of cells differentiating into flagellates. Thus, it appears certain that the residual thymidine kinase activity is primarily due to some portion of cells which did not respond to the stimulation and did not differentiate. Since there is an early termination of nuclear DNA synthesis in differentiating Naegeria, the decrease in thymidine activity (but no change in nucleoside phosphotransferase) suggests a correlation between thymidine kinase and DNA synthesis in Naegleria.

Synthesis and loss of activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in dividing plant cells

1. Using the technique of density-labelling with deuterium oxide, evidence has been obtained for the de novo synthesis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate:NADPH+ 1-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49), during the culture of synchronously growing plant cells. 2. The entire increase in enzyme activity during the early cell cycles in this material can be accounted for by the appearance of an enzyme species with increased buoyand density. 3. A method is described for resolving overlapping distribution profiles after density centrifugation, which allows estimation of the amount of each species present at different times, and calculation of the loss of activity of the light species present from the start of culture. 4. Loss of activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in normal growing conditions in the presence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is very much faster than in conditions which do not lead to cell division: in the absence of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, or in the presence of the inhibitor of RNA synthesis, 6-methylpurine.

Development of chromatin-bound and soluble DNA polymerase activities during germination of Pisum sativum L

Chromatin-bound and soluble DNA-dependent DNA polymerases were assayed in the embryonic axes of germinating peas (Pisum sativum L.). Activities of both enzymes increased markedly during germination, prior to the onset of net DNA synthesis. The activity of the soluble polymerase showed a better temporal correlation with net DNA synthesis than did the activity of the chromatin-bound polymerase. The activity of the soluble polymerase greatly exceeded the activity of the chromatin-bound polymerase, particularly during the period of DNA replication.