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C Perlo

Publications and source records attributed to C Perlo.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

mRNA stabilization controls the expression of a class of developmentally regulated genes in Dictyostelium discoideum.

During the development of Dictyostelium discoideum, several thousand new mRNA species appear in the cytoplasm after the cells have formed stable aggregates. Here we show that six of these late mRNAs, corresponding to six clones randomly chosen from a genomic library, are synthesized from the very beginning of development at a rate comparable to that observed late in development but that transcripts do not accumulate until after aggregation. The early- and late-synthesized mRNAs are identical in size and compete with each other for hybridization to the genomic clones. The early-synthesized mRNAs do not accumulate in the cytoplasm in the preaggregation stage because they are very unstable. Their stability, estimated from the kinetics of incorporation during continuous labeling with (32)P, increases by perhaps an order of magnitude in the postaggregation stage. We conclude that mRNA stabilization is the major controlling factor of the expression of these genes.

Journal Article↗

Regulation of gene expression in Dictyostelium discoideum cells exposed to immobilized carbohydrates.

When amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum develop on gels of polyacrylamide that are derivatized with glucosides, they become capable of aggregation at the same time as cells not exposed to glucosides. However, the aggregation centers and streams of adherent cells formed on immobilized glucosides suddenly disintegrate. The cells repeatedly re-aggregate, but never form tight aggregates as they do on other substrata. Tight aggregates formed in the absence of glucosides disperse after their transfer to glucoside gels, and the cells undergo aggregation-disaggregation cycles. The formation of tight aggregates is correlated with the expression of specific post-aggregative poly(A) RNAs. These RNAs are not expressed in cells developing on glucoside gels, and the dispersal of tight aggregates on such gels is accompanied by the almost complete loss of these RNAs. A developmentally regulated membrane glycoprotein called contact site A, which is a marker of aggregation-competent cells, is normally expressed on glucoside gels. Cyclic AMP is also produced, indicating that the strong increase of adenylate cyclase activity during the preaggregation phase is not affected. In conclusion, cell contact with immobilized glucosides specifically inhibits postaggregative gene expression and arrests development at the aggregation stage.

Journal Article↗

Ribosome maturation in E. coli.

In vivo and in vitro experiments have shown that processing of ribosomal RNA is a late event in ribosome biogenesis. The precursor form of RNA is probably necessary to speed up the assembly of ribomal proteins. Newly formed ribosomal particles which have already entered polyribosomes differ from mature ribosomes not only in their RNA content but also in their susceptibility to unfolding in low Mg concentration and to RNase attack. Final maturation of new ribosomes is probably dependent on their functioning in protein synthesis. Thus only those ribosomes which have proven to be functional may be converted into stable cellular structures.

Escherichia coli↗