Ribosomal RNA genes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. I. Physical map of the repeating unit and location of the regions coding for 5 S, 5.8 S, 18 S, and 25 S ribosomal RNAs.

The organization of the ribosomal DNA repeating unit from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been analyzed. A cloned ribosomal DNA repeating unit has been mapped with the restriction enzymes Xma 1, Kpn 1, HindIII, Xba 1, Bgl I + II, and EcoRI. The locations of the sequences which code for 5 S, 5.

Glucocorticoids modulate the in vitro development of the embryonic rat pancreas.

The effect of the glucocorticoid analogue, dexamethasone, on the development of the embryonic pancreas was studied in tissue culture. It specifically enhances the accumulation of exocrine enzymes without altering the level of general cell proteins. The enhancement, however, is not symmetrical: the cellular levels of the two major exocrine products, amylase and chymotrypsinogen, are increased about 10- and 2-fold, respectively.

Isolation and in vitro translation of the messenger RNA coding for pancreatic amylase.

RNA prepared from dog pancreas polysomes or microsomes directs the synthesis of pancreas-specific proteins in heterologous cell-free translation systems. A translation product, approximately 1500 daltons larger than authentic amylase, corresponding to pancreatic amylase was identified by immunoprecipitation with anti-amylase gamma-globulin and tryptic peptide analysis. We suggest that this larger form of amylase is an amylase precursor.

Rat insulin genes: construction of plasmids containing the coding sequences.

Recombinant bacterial plasmids have been constructed that contain complementary DNA prepared from rat islets of Langerhans messenger RNA. Three plasmids contain cloned sequences representing the complete coding region of rat proinsulin I, part of the preproinsulin I prepeptide, and the untranslated 3' terminal region of the mRNA. A fourth plasmid contains sequences derived from the A chain region of rat preproinsulin II.

Phosphorylation of yeast DNA-dependent RNA polymerases in vivo and in vitro. Isolation of enzymes and identification of phosphorylated subunits.

Yeast DNA-dependent RNA polymerases I, II, and III are phosphorylated in vivo. Yeast cells were grown continuously in 32Pi and the RNA polymerases were isolated by a new procedure which allows the simultaneous purification of these enzymes from small quantities (35 to 60 g) of cells. Each of the RNA polymerases was phosphorylated.

Isolation of chicken hemoglobin mRNA and synthesis of complementary DNA.

Chicken globin mRNA has been purified and partially characterized. Globin-specific sequences are found primarily as 9 S RNA, but also are found with ribosomal RNA, preferentially the 28 S moiety. The chicken globin mRNA preparation has been translated in the wheat germ and Krebs ascites cell-free systems.

Purification of rat liver and mouse ascites DNA-dependent RNA polymerase I.

Three forms of RNA polymerase were assayed in nuclei and nucleoli isolated from rat liver and from Krebs II ascites cells. Assays of rat liver nuclei in the absence of exogenous DNA showed polymerase I accounted for 72% of the total activity, polymerase II for 17%, and polymerase III for 11%. The total activity in ascites nuclei was similar but the ratios of polymerase activities were different: polymerase I, 53%; polymerase II, 41%; and polymerase III, 6%.

A protein cofactor that stimulates the activity of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase I on double-stranded DNA.

Partially purified rat liver RNA polymerase I chromatographed on ribosomal RNA-Sepharose loses most (96%) of its activity assayed on native calf-thymus DNA templates, but loses little (8%) of its activity assayed on poly(deoxycytidylic acid) template. Polymerase I is not stimulated by polymerase II protein factor, or by bovine serum albumin. However, it is stimulated by histones, polylysine, and spermine.

Characterization of purified poly(adenylic acid)-containing messenger ribonucleic acid from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Yeast poly(adenylic acid)-containing messenger RNA was isolated from total cellular RNA by affinity chromatography on poly(uridylic acid)-cellulose. The relative complexity of the isolated yeast mRNA was assessed by hybridization analysis with complementary DNA synthesized from the isolated messenger RNA (mRNA) with viral reverse transcriptase. Approximately 25% of the mRNA hybridized at an apparent Crt1/2 of 5 X 10(-3) mol sl.

Transcription of yeast DNA by homologous RNA polymerases I and II: selective transcription of ribosomal genes by RNA polymerase I.

Purified yeast DNA was transcribed by homologous RNA polymerases I and II and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. Transcripts synthesized in vitro were analyzed by molecular hybridization with complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesized from yeast poly(A)-containing mRNA with viral reverse transcriptase and ribosomal DNA labeled in vitro by nick translation with E. coli DNA polymerase I.

Isolation of ribonucleic acid polymerases I, II, and III from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A procedure for the simultaneous purification of RNA polymerases I, II, and III from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described. High yields of each enzyme activity are obtained, allowing the preparation of approximately 10 mg of polymerase I, 25 mg of polymerase II, and 12 mg of polymerase III from 1.2 kg of cells (wet weight).

Nucleotide polymerases in the developing avian erythrocyte.

Avian erythroid cells were separated into five developmental stages by sedimentation on discontinuous isotonic albumin gradients. Solubilized enzyme activities from whole cells were partially purified and characterized by ion exchange and ion filtration chromatography and velocity sedimenttation analysis. Three nucleotide polymerase types were investigated: (a) DNA-dependent RNA polymerases; (b) RNA-dependent terminal ribonucleotidyltransferases, and (c) DNA-dependent DNA polymerases.

Selective interaction of 5'-bromodeoxyuridine substituted DNA with different chromosomal proteins.

Chromosomal proteins selectively interact with 5'-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) substituted DNA relative to unsubstituted DNA. The relative affinities of chromosomal proteins for BrdUrd-DNA and unsubstituted DNA were measured by both thermal chromatography on hydroxylapatite and selective retention on nitrocellulose filters. Certain chromosomal proteins have a high affinity for hydroxylapatite; thus, during thermal chromatography of chromatin, the single-stranded DNA component percolates across a bed of adsorbed proteins as it elutes.

5-bromodeoxyuridine may alter the differentiative program of the embryonic pancreas.

The thymidine analog, 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), inhibits the differentiation of the acinar cells of the embryonic rat pancreas, while having little effect on the growth of the tissue. The BrdU-treated pancreas contains elevated alkaline phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase activities, and, unlike the normal pancreas, contains numerous extracellular fluid-filled vacuoles, surrounded by ductlike cells. Both alkaline phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase activities are located preferentially in the ductlike cells lining the vacuoles.

Nucleic acid polymerizing enzymes in developing Strongylocentrotus franciscanus embryos.

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, DNA-Dependent DNA polymerase, and terminal riboadenylate transferase (TRT) activities have been measured after DEAE-Sephadex chromatography of whole cell extracts prepared from eggs and staged embryos of the urchin, Stronglyocentrotus franciscanus. Activity of each of these three polymerase classes is present in the egg, and the total activity per embryo is constant throughout embryogenesis to the pluteus stage (approximately 1000 cells). Thus the egg appears to contain sufficient DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, and TRT TRT for embryogenesis.

Isolation of a transcriptionally active chromosome from chloroplasts of Euglena gracilis.

A transcriptionally active chromosome has been isolated in highly purified form from choroplasts of Euglena gracilis, It contains chloroplast DNA, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and other proteins. Transcription occurs at low levels of endogenous DNA, and is indifferent to high levels of exogenous DNA. RNA chain elongation continues for several hours in vitro, and RNA chain initiation, determined by [gamma-32P]ATP incorporation, is continuous for at least 1 h in vitro.

Molecular structure of yeast RNA polymerase III: demonstration of the tripartite transcriptive system in lower eukaryotes.

Homogeneous RNA polymerase III (RNA nucleotidyltransferase III) has been obtained from yeast. The subunit composition of the enzyme was examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme is composed of 12 putative subunits with molecular weights 160,000, 128,000, 82,000, 41,000, 40,500, 37,000, 34,000, 28,000, 24,000, 20,000, 14,500, and 11,000.

Yeast DNA-dependent RNA polymerase I. A rapid procedure for the large scale purification of homogeneous enzyme.

A procedure has been developed for the rapid purification of large amounts of yeast RNA polymerase I (A). The method involves batchwise treatment with phosphocellulose and DEAE-cellulose, ion filtration chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, sucrose gradient centrifugation, and DNA-cellulose chromatography. The enzyme obtained is apparently homogeneous by sedimentation velocity analysis and has a specific activity of 300 nmol of UMP incorporated into RNA in 10 min per mg of protein.

The neural crest and the origin of the insulin-producing and other gastrointestinal hormone-producing cells.

It has been proposed that the endocrine cells of the digestive tract derive from the neuroectoderm (neural crest). To test this hypothesis we removed the entire ectoderm, the precursor of the neural crest, of embryonic rats prior to the formation of the neural crest and cultured the mesoendoderm for 11 days. In every case where a pancreas developed, insulin was detected or B cells were observed.