scholarly journals CHANGES IN THE DNA SYNTHESIS PATTERN OF PARAMECIUM WITH INCREASED CLONAL AGE AND INTERFISSION TIME

1974 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 591-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Smith-Sonneborn ◽  
Michael Klass

The clonal age in paramecia refers to the total number of vegetative divisions a clone has undergone since its origin at autogamy (self-fertilization). As clonal age increases, the interfission time usually increases. The DNA synthesis pattern of cells of different ages was compared by autoradiographic analysis of the DNA synthesis of synchronized cells at various time intervals during the cell cycle (from one division to the next). The study showed that the G1 period (the lag in DNA synthesis post division) was constant, irrespective of interfission time or clonal age; but the duration of the DNA synthesis period increased with increased interfission time or clonal age. Therefore, we have shown for the first time that the G1 period is fixed, and the S period is increased in a eukaryotic unicellular organism as a function of interfission time and clonal age.

2001 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
JS Lewis ◽  
TJ Thomas ◽  
CM Klinge ◽  
MA Gallo ◽  
T Thomas

It has been suggested that alterations in estradiol (E(2)) metabolism, resulting in increased production of 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE(1)), is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. In the present study, we examined the effects of 16alpha-OHE(1)on DNA synthesis, cell cycle progression, and the expression of cell cycle regulatory genes in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. G(1) synchronized cells were treated with 1 to 25 nM 16alpha-OHE(1) for 24 and 48 h. [(3)H]Thymidine incorporation assay showed that 16alpha-OHE(1) caused an 8-fold increase in DNA synthesis compared with that of control cells, whereas E(2) caused a 4-fold increase. Flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle progression also demonstrated the potency of 16alpha-OHE(1) in stimulating cell growth. When G(1) synchronized cells were treated with 10 nM 16alpha-OHE(1) for 24 h, 62+/-3% of cells were in S phase compared with 14+/-3% and 52+/-2% of cells in the control and E(2)-treated groups respectively. In order to explore the role of 16alpha-OHE(1) in cell cycle regulation, we examined its effects on cyclins (D1, E, A, B1), cyclin dependent kinases (Cdk4, Cdk2), and retinoblastoma protein (pRB) using Western and Northern blot analysis. Treatment of cells with 10 nM 16alpha-OHE(1) resulted in 4- and 3-fold increases in cyclin D1 and cyclin A, respectively, at the protein level. There was also a significant increase in pRB phosphorylation and Cdk2 activation. In addition, transient transfection assay using an estrogen response element-driven luciferase reporter vector showed a 15-fold increase in estrogen receptor-mediated transactivation compared with control. These results show that 16alpha-OHE(1) is a potent estrogen capable of accelerating cell cycle kinetics and stimulating the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins.


1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 2858-2864 ◽  
Author(s):  
R K Storms ◽  
R W Ord ◽  
M T Greenwood ◽  
B Mirdamadi ◽  
F K Chu ◽  
...  

Synchronous populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, generated by two independent methods, have been used to show that thymidylate synthase, in contrast to the vast majority of cellular proteins thus far examined, fluctuates periodically during the S. cerevisiae cell cycle. The enzyme, as assayed by two different methods, accumulated during S period and peaked in mid to late S phase, and then its level dropped. These observations suggest that both periodic synthesis and the instability of the enzyme contribute to the activity profile seen during the cell cycle. Accumulation of thymidylate synthase is determined at the level of its transcript, with synthase-specific mRNA levels increasing at least 10-fold to peak near the beginning of S period and then falling dramatically to basal levels after the onset of DNA synthesis. This mRNA peak coincided with the time during the cell cycle when thymidylate synthase levels were increasing maximally and immediately preceded the peak of DNA synthesis, for which the enzyme provides precursor dTMP.


2013 ◽  
Vol 156 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. P. Shabalkin ◽  
E. Yu. Grigor’eva ◽  
P. I. Shabalkin ◽  
M. V. Gudkova ◽  
A. S. Yagubov

1973 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Jeffery ◽  
Joseph Frankel ◽  
Lawrence E. de Bault ◽  
Leslie M. Jenkins

The temporal schedule of DNA replication in heat-synchronized Tetrahymena was studied by autoradiographic and cytofluorometric methods. It was shown that some cells, which were synchronized by selection of individual dividing cells or by temporary thymidine starvation, incorporated [3H]thymidine into macronuclei in a periodic fashion during the heat-shock treatment. It was concluded that supernumerary S periods occurred while cell division was blocked by high temperature. The proportion of cells which initiated supernumerary S periods was found to be dependent on the duration of the heat-shock treatment and on the cell cycle stage when the first heat shock was applied. Cytofluorometric measurements of Feulgen-stained macronuclei during the heat-shock treatment indicated that the DNA complement of these cells was substantially increased and probably duplicated during the course of each S period. Estimates of DNA content also suggested that the rate of DNA synthesis progressively declined during long heat-shock treatments. These results indicate that the mechanism which brings about heat-induced division synchrony is not an interruption of the process of DNA replication. Further experiments were concerned with the regulation of DNA synthesis during the first synchronized division cycle. It was shown that participation in DNA synthesis at this time increased as more cells were able to conclude the terminal S period during the preceding heat-shock treatment. It is suggested that a discrete period of time is necessary after the completion of DNA synthesis before another round of DNA synthesis can be initiated.


1970 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 688-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Johnson ◽  
Howard Rothstein

Histones have been electrophoretically separated from acid extracts of the frog lens for the first time. The five conventional histone fractions, representing four electrophoretic bands (f1; f2b, f3; f2a2; and f2a1), are present in both the epithelial and fiber cells. In addition, a fifth fraction was isolated from both sources and the evidence suggests that it may be a tissue-specific histone, possibly related to the lysine-rich f2c fraction found previously only in nucleated erythrocytes. The epithelial cells contain a substantially greater amount of histone than the fiber cells. Moreover, the fibers, unlike the epithelium, manifest no net histone synthesis or turnover following lenticular explantation. Microspectrophotometric, radioautographic, and gel electrophoretic studies indicate that the histones are synthesized in frog lenses concurrently with DNA. Inhibition of DNA synthesis does not completely abolish that of histones but reduces it by about one-half. In the early stages of culture (prior to their synthesis and that of DNA) the histones appear to undergo alterations which are prevented by treatment with cycloheximide.


1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 2858-2864
Author(s):  
R K Storms ◽  
R W Ord ◽  
M T Greenwood ◽  
B Mirdamadi ◽  
F K Chu ◽  
...  

Synchronous populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, generated by two independent methods, have been used to show that thymidylate synthase, in contrast to the vast majority of cellular proteins thus far examined, fluctuates periodically during the S. cerevisiae cell cycle. The enzyme, as assayed by two different methods, accumulated during S period and peaked in mid to late S phase, and then its level dropped. These observations suggest that both periodic synthesis and the instability of the enzyme contribute to the activity profile seen during the cell cycle. Accumulation of thymidylate synthase is determined at the level of its transcript, with synthase-specific mRNA levels increasing at least 10-fold to peak near the beginning of S period and then falling dramatically to basal levels after the onset of DNA synthesis. This mRNA peak coincided with the time during the cell cycle when thymidylate synthase levels were increasing maximally and immediately preceded the peak of DNA synthesis, for which the enzyme provides precursor dTMP.


1976 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. Bell ◽  
O. J. Schwarz ◽  
Karen W. Hughes

Vicia faba root tips were exposed to concentrations of paraquat ranging from 10−3M to 10−6M. There was a statistically significant inhibition in 3H-thymidine incorporation, and, therefore, presumably of DNA synthesis by all concentrations of paraquat studied. All concentrations of paraquat also had a statistically significant effect on the percentage of cells in division at various hours following paraquat treatment. At 10−3M and 10−4M paraquat there was an almost total inhibition in the number of cells moving from the S period and through the G2 period and into division. Cells treated with 10−6M paraquat, however, did move through the G2 period and into division. A concentration of 10−4M paraquat did not result in an increase in chromosome aberrations.


1972 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 624-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
William R. Jeffery

The mechanism of coordination between DNA replication and cell division was studied in Tetrahymena pyriformis GL-C by manipulation of the timing of these events with heat shocks and inhibition of DNA synthesis. Preliminary experiments showed that the inhibitor combination methotrexate and uridine (M + U) was an effective inhibitor of DNA synthesis. Inhibition of the progression of DNA synthesis with M + U in exponentially growing cells, in which one S period usually occurs between two successive divisions, or in heat-shocked cells, when successive S periods are known to occur between divisions, resulted in the complete suppression of the following division. In further experiments in which the division activities were reassociated with the DNA synthetic cycle by premature termination of the heat-shock treatment, it was shown that (a) the completion of one S period during the treatment was sufficient for cell division, (b) the beginning of division events suppressed the initiation of further S periods, and (c) if further S periods were initiated while the heat-shock treatment was continued, division preparations could not begin until the necessary portion of the S period was completed, even though DNA had previously been duplicated. It was concluded that a temporal incompatibility exists between DNA synthesis and division which may reflect a coupling mechanism which insures their coordination during the normal cell cycle.


1967 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Narasimha Rao ◽  
David M. Prescott

In a generation time of 8 hr in Paramecium caudatum, the bulk of DNA synthesis detected by thymidine-3H incorporation takes place in the latter part of the cell cycle. The micronuclear cycle includes a G1 of 3 hr followed by an S period of 3–3½ hr. G2 and division occupies the remaining period of the cycle. Macronuclear RNA synthesis detected by 5'-uridine-3H incorporation is continuous throughout the cell cycle. Micronuclear RNA synthesis is restricted to the S period. Ribonuclease removes 80–90% of the incorporated label. Pulse-chase experiments showed that part of the RNA is conserved and released to the cytoplasm during the succeeding G1 period.


1985 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-104
Author(s):  
A. Cuadrado ◽  
M.H. Navarrete ◽  
J.L. Canovas

Meristematic cells from Allium cepa L. roots can attain a steady state of growth in the presence of anisomycin at concentrations that effectively reduce the rate of protein synthesis. Under these conditions the lengths of cell cycle periods increase but not in the same proportion as the generation time (t). Mitosis is hardly affected and S period is slightly lengthened. G2 increases less in proportion to t, while G1 is extended much higher in proportion to t. Natural synchronous populations have been used to study cell cycle parameters during transition from the physiological steady state to the new one created by the presence of the drug. G2 was the same during transition as during steady-state growth. G1 was much shorter during transition. Average cell mass at division was reduced, and a negative correlation was observed between the length of G2 and the size of the cell at termination of DNA synthesis. We propose that in higher plants, G2 length is regulated by cell mass at completion of DNA synthesis (G2 being shorter in big cells than in small cells), though there is no cell size requirement for mitosis.


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