Biomaterial Database

Intracellular localization of messenger RNAs for cytoskeletal proteins. 1986

J B Lawrence, and R H Singer

We have analyzed intracellular distributions of mRNAs for the cytoskeletal proteins actin, vimentin, and tubulin by in situ hybridization. Although polyadenylated RNA was homogeneously distributed throughout the cell, actin mRNA demonstrated a nonhomogeneous distribution in 95% of randomly selected chicken embryonic myoblasts and fibroblasts, as detected by isotopic and nonisotopic techniques. Actin mRNA concentrations were highest at cell extremities, generally in lamellipodia, where grain densities were up to 16-fold higher than in areas near the nucleus. Vimentin mRNA, unlike actin mRNA, was distributed near the nucleus. Tubulin mRNA appeared most concentrated in the peripheral cytoplasm. These results demonstrate that cytoplasmic mRNAs are localized in specific, nonrandom cellular patterns and that localized concentrations of specific proteins may result from corresponding localization of their respective mRNAs. Hence, actin mRNA distribution may result in increased concentration of actin filaments in lamellipodia of motile cells.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D002451	Cell Compartmentation	A partitioning within cells due to the selectively permeable membranes which enclose each of the separate parts, e.g., mitochondria, lysosomes, etc.	Cell Compartmentations,Compartmentation, Cell,Compartmentations, Cell
D002465	Cell Movement	The movement of cells from one location to another. Distinguish from CYTOKINESIS which is the process of dividing the CYTOPLASM of a cell.	Cell Migration,Locomotion, Cell,Migration, Cell,Motility, Cell,Movement, Cell,Cell Locomotion,Cell Motility,Cell Movements,Movements, Cell
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002645	Chickens	Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA.	Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D003598	Cytoskeletal Proteins	Major constituent of the cytoskeleton found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. They form a flexible framework for the cell, provide attachment points for organelles and formed bodies, and make communication between parts of the cell possible.	Proteins, Cytoskeletal
D005347	Fibroblasts	Connective tissue cells which secrete an extracellular matrix rich in collagen and other macromolecules.	Fibroblast
D000199	Actins	Filamentous proteins that are the main constituent of the thin filaments of muscle fibers. The filaments (known also as filamentous or F-actin) can be dissociated into their globular subunits; each subunit is composed of a single polypeptide 375 amino acids long. This is known as globular or G-actin. In conjunction with MYOSINS, actin is responsible for the contraction and relaxation of muscle.	F-Actin,G-Actin,Actin,Isoactin,N-Actin,alpha-Actin,alpha-Isoactin,beta-Actin,gamma-Actin,F Actin,G Actin,N Actin,alpha Actin,alpha Isoactin,beta Actin,gamma Actin
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001345	Autoradiography	The making of a radiograph of an object or tissue by recording on a photographic plate the radiation emitted by radioactive material within the object. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Radioautography