RNA transport from nucleus to cytoplasm in Chironomus salivary glands
- PMID: 5971975
- PMCID: PMC2107042
- DOI: 10.1083/jcb.31.1.55
RNA transport from nucleus to cytoplasm in Chironomus salivary glands
Abstract
The fine structure and cytochemistry of the extremely large RNA puffs, or Balbiani rings, in salivary gland nuclei of midge, Chironomus thummi, larvae have been investigated. The Balbiani rings are composed of a diffuse mass of electron-opaque 400 to 500 A granules, short threads about 180 to 220 A in diameter and associated fine chromatin fibrils. These components appear to be organized into brushlike elements which form the ring. Electron microscope cytochemistry has shown that the granules and short threads contain RNA. After ribonuclease digestion, only 50 to 100 A chromatin fibrils were apparent in the Balbiani ring, and the granules were no longer demonstrable. Deoxyribonuclease digestion had no apparent effect on these structures. Observations indicate that the granules are formed from the short threads and released into the nucleoplasm in which they are evenly distributed. At the nuclear envelope, many granules have been observed partially or completely within the nuclear pores. These granules become elongated and are shown to penetrate the center of the pore in a rodlike form, about 200 A in diameter. The Balbiani ring granules are not normally visible within the cytoplasm adjacent to the nuclear envelope, but have been rarely found in this region. It is suggested that the granules represent the product of the Balbiani ring, possibly a messenger RNA bound to protein, and that they regularly pass into the cytoplasm through a narrow central channel in the pores of the nuclear envelope.
Similar articles
-
Delayed flow-through cytoplasm of newly synthesized Balbiani ring 75S RNA.Cell. 1978 Apr;13(4):727-33. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(78)90222-2. Cell. 1978. PMID: 148971
-
Evidence for transport of 75S RNA from a discrete chromosome region via nuclear sap to cytoplasm in Chironomus tentans.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Feb;70(2):442-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.2.442. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973. PMID: 4510288 Free PMC article.
-
The intranuclear movement of Balbiani ring premessenger ribonucleoprotein particles.Exp Cell Res. 1999 Aug 25;251(1):135-46. doi: 10.1006/excr.1999.4490. Exp Cell Res. 1999. PMID: 10438579
-
Transfer of genetic information in polytene cells.Int Rev Cytol. 1974;Suppl 4:417-62. Int Rev Cytol. 1974. PMID: 4616919 Review. No abstract available.
-
Getting RNA and protein in phase.Cell. 2012 Jun 8;149(6):1188-91. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.05.022. Cell. 2012. PMID: 22682242 Review.
Cited by
-
Ultrastructure of developing germ cells in the fetal human testis.Cell Tissue Res. 1975 Aug 1;161(1):55-70. doi: 10.1007/BF00222114. Cell Tissue Res. 1975. PMID: 1149138
-
Importance of mammalian nuclear-envelope nucleoside triphosphatase in nucleo-cytoplasmic transport of ribonucleoproteins.Biochem J. 1979 Sep 15;182(3):811-9. doi: 10.1042/bj1820811. Biochem J. 1979. PMID: 229828 Free PMC article.
-
On the universality of nuclear pore complex structure.Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1970;105(3):405-29. doi: 10.1007/BF00335464. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1970. PMID: 4097097 No abstract available.
-
Appearance of nuclear pore complexes after Bernhard's staining procedure.Histochemie. 1971;24(3):266-78. doi: 10.1007/BF00304196. Histochemie. 1971. PMID: 4099673 No abstract available.
-
Ultrastructural changes in nurse and follicle cells during late stages of oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1970;110(1):1-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00343981. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1970. PMID: 5471199 No abstract available.
