scholarly journals Protein, nucleic acid and starch metabolism in the duckweed Spirodela oligorrhiza, treated with cytokinins

1972 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. A. McCombs ◽  
R. K. Ralph

Bacteria-free cultures of Spirodela oligorrhiza continue to increase in frond number for 2 to 3 days after transfer to darkness. There is then no further increase in frond number for 3 to 4 weeks, although DNA, RNA and protein synthesis continue at decreased rates and starch accumulates in the plants. We refer to such ‘non-growing’ plants in darkness as dormant. Adding kinetin to dormant Spirodela initiated increased DNA, RNA and protein synthesis within 1h, although new fronds were not detected until 24h after the addition of kinetin. The frond number then continued to increase. Starch accumulated in dormant plants. Accumulation of starch appeared to be a consequence of inhibition of growth rather than the converse. No evidence was obtained for a block in [14C]glucose metabolism that might explain the lack of growth in darkness in the absence of kinetin. In darkness, more ribosomes were membrane-bound in dormant Spirodela than in Spirodela growing with kinetin. Similarities between the response of Spirodela to darkness, stringent control in bacteria and pleiotypic controls in animal cells are discussed. It is suggested that all three processes are ultimately controlled by specific protein kinases that are individually sensitive to different effectors.

Development ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-70
Author(s):  
S. G. Clarkson

In a previous paper (Clarkson, 1969) data were presented which indicate that hypostome determination is accompanied by a large and rapid burst of RNA synthesis, a slight stimulation of protein synthesis, and no increase in DNA synthesis. More direct evidence concerning the relative importance of these metabolic activities in hypostome determination is reported in this paper. The experimental approach made use of the transplantation test of Webster & Wolpert (1966) in conjunction with some inhibitors of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, the rationale being that if these metabolic activities play important roles in the determination of the hypostome, then their inhibition would be expected to have severe effects on the time required for this process. Regarding the inhibitors, hydroxyurea (HU) inhibits DNA synthesis in a variety of animal cells without altering rates of formation of RNA or protein (Young & Hodas, 1964; Yarbro, Kennedy & Barnum, 1965; Schwartz, Garofalo, Sternberg & Philips, 1965).


1971 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
J. B. GRIFFITHS

It has been established that although an inhibitory interaction occurs when a culture of human diploid cells become crowded together (contact inhibition of growth), multiple-layered cell sheets are obtained by using a continuous medium perfusion culture. A similar effect is obtained when the culture medium is changed at frequent intervals, and this paper reports the effects of a medium change on cell growth and metabolism. A direct relationship was found between cell yield and the number of medium changes given to a culture. This was an unexpected result because normally when a culture is prolonged by additional feeding the cell yield shows a diminishing return. The amino acid and glucose uptakes and growth yields (the ratio of the amount of cell dry weight produced to substrate used) were determined and they also showed that a unit amount of growth occurred per medium change, and that cessation of growth was accompanied by cessation of nutrient uptake and metabolism. Medium changes had a profound affect on cellular metabolism, especially on DNA and protein synthesis. As a culture approached confluency, DNA, RNA and protein synthesis were sequentially inhibited. After a medium change there was a sequential stimulation of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in the same order as they were inhibited. The inhibitory mechanism that is affected by cell crowding is obviously reversed by a medium change. The results presented in this paper suggest that contact inhibition of growth primarily affects DNA synthesis and that if the cell is able to take up a sufficient supply of nutrients in a crowded culture then this inhibition can be overcome.


1972 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 396-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.-D. Schulz ◽  
H. Haarmann ◽  
A. Harland

ABSTRACT The present investigation deals with the oestrogen-sensitivity of the female reproductive system during the neonatal period. Newborn female guinea pigs were used as test animals. At different times after a single subcutaneous injection of a physiological dose of 0.1 μg or an unphysiologically high dose of 10 μg 17β-oestradiol/100 g body weight, the RNA- and protein-synthesis was examined in the hypothalamic region, pituitary, cerebral cortex, liver, adrenal gland, ovary and uterus. With a physiological dose an increase in organ weight, protein content, RNA-and protein-synthesis was found only in the uterus. These alterations turned out to be dose-dependent. In addition to the findings in the uterus an inhibition of the aminoacid incorporation rate occurred in the liver following the injection of the high oestradiol dose. As early as 1 hour after the administration of 0.1 μg 17β-oestradiol an almost 100% increase in uterine protein synthesis was detectable. This result demonstrates a high oestrogen-sensitivity of this organ during the neonatal period. All the other organs of the female reproductive system such as the hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary did not show any oestrogen response. Therefore the functional immaturity of the uterus during post partem life is not the result of a deficient hormone sensitivity but is correlated with the absence of a sufficient hormonal stimulus at this time. The investigation on the effects of actinomycin resulted in different reactions in the uterus and liver. In contrast to the liver a paradoxical actinomycin effect was found in the uterus after treatment with actinomycin alone. This effect is characterized by a small inhibition of RNA-synthesis and a 50% increase in protein synthesis. The treatment of the newborn test animals with actinomycin and 17β-oestradiol together abolished the oestrogen-induced stimulation of the uterine RNA-and protein-synthesis. Consequently, the effect of oestrogens during the neonatal period is also connected with the formation of new proteins via an increased DNA-directed RNA-synthesis.


Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-227
Author(s):  
W Scott Champney

ABSTRACT Two variations of the method of localized mutagenesis were used to introduce mutations into the 72 min region of the Escherichia coli chromosome. Twenty temperature-sensitive mutants, with linkage to markers in this region, have been examined. Each strain showed an inhibition of growth in liquid medium at 44°, and 19 of the mutants lost viability upon prolonged incubation at this temperature. A reduction in the rate of in vivo RNA and protein synthesis was observed for each mutant at 44°, relative to a control strain. Eleven of the mutants were altered in growth sensitivity or resistance to one or more of three ribosomal antibiotics. The incomplete assembly of ribosomal subunits was detected in nine strains grown at 44°. The characteristics of these mutants suggest that many of them are altered in genes for translational or transcriptional components, consistent with the clustering of these genes at this chromosomal locus.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document