spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by HARTMAN, H.
Right arrow Articles by GURNEY, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by HARTMAN, H.
Right arrow Articles by GURNEY, T., JR.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 16, 241-259, Copyright © 1974 by Company of Biologists

Submitted on June 18, 1973
Revised on April 5, 1974

Evidence for the Association of RNA with the Ciliary Basal Bodies of Tetrahymena

H. HARTMAN 1, J. P. PUMA 1, and T. GURNEY JR. 2

1 Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, U.S.A.
2 Department of Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, U.S.A.; Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, U.S.A.

To whom correspondence concerning this article should be sent.

A new procedure for isolating pellicles from Tetrahymena yields stable whole pellicles in good yield. Electron microscopy of fixed pellicles showed inner membranes and basal bodies but no mitochondria. Sucrose gradient sedimentation of pellicle extracts labelled with [3H]uridine showed an increase in the ratio 17 s RNA to 25 s RNA and little 4 s RNA. The method of long term labelling presumably excluded messenger RNA. The technique of RNA/DNA hybridization in the presence of competing RNA showed that 35% of the pellicle RNA which could hybridize (C0t 2-3) to DNA did not contain sequences in common with ribosomal RNA. It is proposed that a stable RNA which is not mitochondrial RNA, transfer RNA or ribosomal RNA is associated with the pellicle. Fixed pellicles stained with acridine orange showed brilliant yellow-green fluorescence at the basal bodies. RNase reduced or abolished fluorescence; DNase, histone, and lysozyme had no effect. Mercaptoethanol changed the colour of the fluorescence of basal bodies from yellow-green to orange, while not changing yellow nuclear fluorescence. Fluorescence of basal bodies was seen in pellicles isolated from log-phase cells and also in synchronized cells. It is proposed that basal bodies contain, or are associated with, single-stranded RNA held in a rigid configuration by protein. The implications of this proposal are discussed.

Submitted on June 18, 1973
Revised on April 5, 1974




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
M. C. Alliegro, M. A. Alliegro, and R. E. Palazzo
Centrosome-associated RNA in surf clam oocytes
PNAS, June 13, 2006; 103(24): 9034 - 9038.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1974