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P S Agutter

Publications and source records attributed to P S Agutter.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

An assessment of some methodological criticisms of studies of RNA efflux from isolated nuclei.

RNA efflux from isolated nuclei can be studied either as a means of elucidating the general mechanism of nucleo-cytoplasmic RNA transport, or as part of an investigation of the processing and utilization of particular gene transcripts. The present paper describes an assessment of three methodological criticisms of RNA-efflux measurements that are made for the former reason: for such measurements, it is sufficient to show that the post-incubation supernatant RNA is similar overall to homologous cytoplasmic mRNA, rather than to nuclear RNA, that is nevertheless of intranuclear origin, and that alterations to the medium during experiments do not markedly perturb this general nuclear restriction. The results seem to justify the following conclusions. (1) Although degradation of the nuclear RNA occurs during incubation in vitro, this process does not account for the appearance of RNA in the postnuclear supernatant. The degradation can be largely prevented by the addition of serine-proteinase inhibitors without altering the RNA efflux rate. (2) Some adsorption of labelled cytoplasmic RNA to the nuclear surface occurs during both isolation and incubation of the nuclei, and some desorption occurs during incubation. However, these effects introduce errors of less than 10% into the measurements of efflux rates. (3) Exogenous acidic polymers, including polyribonucleotides, disrupt nuclei and increase the apparent RNA efflux rate by causing leakage of nuclear contents. However, this effect can largely be overcome by including the nuclear stabilizers spermidine, Ca2+ and Mn2+ in the medium. In terms of this assessment, it appears that RNA efflux from isolated nuclei in media containing nuclear stabilizers serves as a reasonable model for transport in vivo.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1982

Effect of colchicine on mammalian liver nuclear envelope and on nucleo-cytoplasmic RNA transport.

The binding of colchicine to nuclear envelopes was studied in order to elucidate the mechanism whereby this compound inhibits nucleocytoplasmic RNA transport. The results suggest that a single class of colchicine-binding site (dissociation constant=approx. 0.7 mM, concentration=approx. 330 nmol colchicine/mg protein) is localised in the nuclear periphery (pore-lamina) and that binding to these sites effects a constriction of the pore-complexes with concomitant inhibition of RNA egress and disordering of the nuclear membrane phospholipid bilayers.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The fluidity of the nuclear envelope lipid does not affect the rate of nucleocytoplasmic RNA transport in mammalian liver.

The effects of in vitro and in vivo modifications of nuclear envelope lipid on DNa leakage and on ATP-stimulated RNA release from isolated rat liver nuclei were investigated. The modifications included corn-oil feeding of the animals to alter the fatty acid composition of the lipids, phospholipase treatment of the isolated nuclei, and extraction of the total lipid with Triton X-100. Significant changes in lipid composition and approximate order parameter values of the spin-label 5-doxylstearate resulted, but there was no significant effect on RNA transport rate. It was concluded that the nuclear envelope lipid does not play any important part in nucleocytoplasmic RNA transport in mammalian liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Effects of cholesterol on the properties of the membranes of isolated sheep liver nuclei and nuclear envelopes.

The exchangeability of cholesterol between sheep liver nuclear membranes and liposomes, and the effect of cholesterol on the fluidity of the membrane lipid were studied. In intact nuclei, the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio increased from 0.102 to 0.145 mol/mol on incubation with cholesterol-rich liposomes, with a time for half-maximal uptake of 4.2 h. In isolated envelopes under the same conditions, the ratio increased from 0.110 to 0.266 mol/mol with a time for half-maximal uptake of about 1.9 h. Moreover, the approximate order parameter of the spin label 5-(N-oxyl-4',4'-dimethyloxazolidino)-stearic acid was 0.677 in intact nuclei and 0.723 in isolated envelopes prior to exchange; after exchange, these values increased to 0.717 and 0.756, respectively. These differences between the preparations could not be attributed to differences in the capacity for cholesterol uptake between the two nuclear membranes, or to a slow rate of exchange between them; the presence of an intact nuclear matrix appeared both to disorder the lipid partially and to inhibit cholesterol uptake. The differences indicate that conclusions based on physical studies of the membrane lipid in isolated envelopes are not necessarily applicable to the intact nucleus.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Variability of mammalian liver nuclear-envelope preparations.

The composition, density and enzymic activities of sheep liver nuclear-envelope preparations were found to vary markedly according to the concentrations of nuclei during the lysis stage. The effect of nuclear concentration on the properties of the purified envelopes could not be attributed to bound Mg2+ or to other ions, and appeared to result from some component of the nucleus which was not eluted during lysis. The implications of these findings for studies on the nuclear envelope are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Influence of nucleotides, cations and nucleoside triphosphatase inhibitors on the release of ribonucleic acid from isolated rat liver nuclei.

The reasons underlying reported discrepancies in the effects of ATP, ADP, adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-methylene]triphosphate, AMP + PPi, P-chloromercuribenzoate and F- on RNA efflux from isolated rat liver nuclei and on nuclear envelope nucleoside triphosphatase activity were investigated. The stimulatory effect of ADP was attributed to myokinase activity associated with the nuclei; this activity was eluted on repeated washing with nuclear incubation medium. In the absence of Ca2+ and Mn2+, ATP, adenosine 5'[beta gamma-methylene]triphosphate and AMP +PPi were found to promote release of both DNA and RNA. In the presence of 0.5 mM-Ca2+ and 9.3 mM-Mn2+, only ATP promoted RNA efflux to a significant extent. In the absence of spermidine, Ca2+ and Mn2+, nuclei released large quantities of DNA and RNA into the medium; this effect was promoted by p-chloromereuribenzoate. In the presence of the three cations, however, p-chloromercuribenzoate inhibited RNA efflux. F- caused a slight leakage of DNA from nuclei. The results are discussed in terms of models for the effects of ATP and analogues on RNA efflux and nuclear stability.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1979

Importance of mammalian nuclear-envelope nucleoside triphosphatase in nucleo-cytoplasmic transport of ribonucleoproteins.

The nucleoside triphosphate-stimulated efflux of RNA from isolated nuclei was studied under a range of conditions, and the effects of these conditions on the process were compared with the properties of the nucleoside triphosphatase located in the pore complex. A marked similarity between the rate of efflux and the rate of nucleoside triphosphate hydrolysis was apparent, in terms of substrate specificity, sensitivity to treatment with insolubilized trypsin, kinetics and the effects of increased ionic strength and of many inhibitors. These results are taken, in view of earlier evidence, to suggest that the activity of the nucleoside triphosphatase is a prerequisite for nucleo-cytoplasmic RNA transport in vivo. There are some indications that the nuclear-envelope lipid is also involved in regulating the efflux process.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Properties of mammalian nuclear-envelope nucleoside triphosphatase.

The nucleoside triphosphatase activities of the nuclear envelopes from rat liver, pig liver and simian-virus-40-transformed mouse-embryo 3T3 cells were shown to exhibit similar parperties. All three preparations hydrolyse ATP, 2'-dATP, 3'-dATP, GTP, CTP and UTP in the presence of Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+ and Co2+ with a pH optimum of 8.0, are sensitive to inhibition by mercurials, arsenicals, quercetin, proflavin and adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate and are partially inactivated by exposure to high ionic strength. The kinetic behaviour is similar for all substrates irrespective of the source of material. The typical Eadie-Hofstee plot, which is concave upwards at pH 8.0 when the ionic strength is 20mM, becomes linear when the pH is increased to 8.5 or the ionic strength to 160mM. The overall evidence, particularly the labelling of only one polypeptide by [gamma-32P]ATP, suggests that under the conditions of preparation and assay used only one class of nucleoside triphosphatase active sites is detectable in nuclear envelopes. The importance of these results for an understanding of the role of the enzyme in vivo is discussed.

Adenine↗
PubMed1979

Inhibition of ribonucleic acid efflux from isolated SV40-3T3 cell nuclei by 3'-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin).

The effect of 3'-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin) on mRNA efflux from isolated SV40-3T3 cell nuclei has been studied and compared with its effect on the nucleoside triphosphatase activity in the isolated nuclear envelope. Inhibition of mRNA efflux occurs rapidly, but is dependent on the presence of ATP. Half-maximal inhibition occurs with 40 microM-cordycepin. The effect is not simulated by 2'-deoxyadenosine or by actinomycin D, and adenosine provides a substantial degree of protection against it. Cordycepin does not directly inhibit the nucleoside triphosphatase. The stimulation of this enzyme by poly(A) is not affected unless the poly(A) and cordycepin are incubated together with nuclear lysate in the presence of ATP; in this case the stimulation is significantly reduced. Possible interpretations of these results and their relevance for understanding the system in vivo for nucleo-cytoplasmic messenger transport are discussed.

Adenosine↗