Abstract
The content of RNA with an origin in the Balbiani rings 1 and 2 (BR 1+2) has been determined in chromosomes, nuclear sap and cytoplasm of Chironomus tentans salivary gland cells. Together with information on rate and completeness of export this permits an estimation of half-life of this RNA in cytoplasm and its residence time in the nucleus. The quantities in the BR, nuclear sap, and cytoplasm are roughly related as 1∶10∶200. The 75 S RNA in the nuclear sap with an origin in the BR 1+2 must to a high extent be a precursor to the cytoplasmic 75 S RNA in vivo. The half-life of the cytoplasmic component is about 20 h and the half-life (residence time) for BR 1+2 RNA in the nuclear sap around one hour. The presence of a large pool of BR RNA in the sap explains the previously observed delay in its cytoplasmic appearance in vivo.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adesnik, M., Darnell, J.E.: Biogenesis and characterization of histone messenger RNA in HeLa cells. J. molec. Biol. 67, 397–406 (1972)
Beermann, W., Bahr, G.F.: The submicroscopic structure of the Balbianiring. Exp. Cell Res. 6, 195–201 (1954)
Clever, U., Storbeck, I., Romball, C.G.: Chromosome activity and cell function in polytenic cells. I. Protein synthesis at various stages of larval development. Exp. Cell Res. 55, 306–316 (1969)
Daneholt, B., Andersson, K., Fagerlind, M.: Large-sized polysomes in Chironomus tentans and their relation to Balbiani ring 75 S RNA. J. Cell Biol. 73, 149–160 (1977a)
Daneholt, B., Case, S.T., Derksen, J., Lamb, M.M., Nelson, L., Wieslander, L.: The size and chromosomal location of the 75 S RNA transcription unit in Balbiani ring 2. Cold Spr. Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 42, in press (1977b)
Daneholt, B., Edström, J.-E.: The content of deoxyribonucleic acid in individual polytene chromosomes of Chironomus tentans. Cytogenetics 6, 350–356 (1967)
Daneholt, B., Edström, J.-E., Egyházi, E., Lambert, B., Ringborg, U.: Chromosomal RNA synthesis in polytene chromosomes of Chironomus tentans. Chromosoma (Berl.) 28, 399–417 (1969)
Doyle, D., Laufer, H.: Requirements of ribonucleic acid synthesis for the formation of salivary gland specific proteins in larval Chironomus tentans. Exp. Cell Res. 57, 205–210 (1969)
Edström, J.-E.: Microextraction and microelectrophoresis for determination and analysis of nucleic acids in isolated cellular units. In: Methods in cell physiology (D.M. Prescott, ed.), vol. 1, pp. 417–447. New York: Academic Press 1964
Edström, J.-E., Beermann, W.: The base composition of nucleic acids in chromosomes, puffs, nucleoli and cytoplasm of Chironomus salivary gland cells. J. Cell Biol. 14, 371–380 (1962)
Edström, J.-E., Ericson, E., Lindgren, S., Lönn, U., Rydlander, L.: Fate of Balbiani ring RNA in vivo. Cold Spr. Harbor Symp. quant. Biol. 42, in press (1977)
Edström, J.-E., Tanguay, R.: Cytoplasmic ribonucleic acids with messenger characteristics in salivary gland cells of Chironomus tentans. J. molec. Biol. 84, 569–583 (1974)
Egyházi, E.: Inhibition of Balbiani ring RNA synthesis at the initiation level. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 947–950 (1975)
Fleck, A., Begg, D.: The estimation of ribonucleic acid using ultraviolet absorption measurements. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 108, 333–339 (1965)
Grossbach, U.: Chromosomen-Aktivität und biochemische Zelldifferenzierung in den Speicheldrüsen von Camptochironomus. Chromosoma (Berl.) 28, 136–187 (1969)
Hollenberg, C.P.: Proportionate representation of rDNA and Balbiani ring DNA in polytene chromosomes of Chironomus tentans. Chromosoma (Berl.) 57, 185–197 (1976)
Lambert, B.: Repeated DNA sequences in a Balbiani ring. J. molec. Biol. 72, 65–75 (1972)
Lönn, U., Edström, J.-E.: Movements and asociations of ribosomal subunits in a secretory cell during growth inhibition by starvation. J. Cell Biol. 73, 696–704 (1977)
McKnight, S.L., Miller, O.L.: Ultrastructural patterns of RNA synthesis during early embryogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster. Cell 8, 305–319 (1976)
Pelling, C.: Ribonukleinsäure-Synthese der Riesenchromosomen. Autoradiographische Untersuchungen an Chironomus tentans. Chromosoma (Berl.) 15, 71–122 (1964)
Randerath, K., Randerath, E.: Thin-layer separation methods for nucleic acid derivatives. In: Methods in enzymology (L. Grossman and K. Moldave, eds.), vol. 12A, pp. 323–347. New York: Academic Press 1967
Ringborg, U., Rydlander, L.: Nucleolar-derived ribonucleic acid in chromosomes, nuclear sap and cytoplasm of Chironomus tentans salivary gland cells. J. Cell Biol. 51, 355–368 (1971)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Edström, J.E., Lindgren, S., Lönn, U. et al. Balbiani ring RNA content and half-life in nucleus and cytoplasm of Chironomus tentans salivary gland cells. Chromosoma 66, 33–44 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00285814
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00285814