Biomaterial Database

Transcription of chick genes by mammalian RNA polymerase II in chick erythrocyte-mammalian cell heterokaryons. 1982

S H Zuckerman, and S Linder, and N R Ringertz

The introduction of chick erythrocyte nuclei into mammalian cell cytoplasms results in their reactivation as evidenced by the de novo transcription of chick genes and the synthesis of both globin and constitutive proteins. In the present study, chick erythrocytes have been fused to L6 rat myoblasts and to alpha-amanitin-resistant variants of L6 to determine whether the chick or the mammalian RNA polymerase II was responsible for transcription of chick genes. Heterokaryons formed by fusing chick erythrocytes with alpha-amanitin-resistant L6 myoblasts synthesize both chick globin and chick constitutive proteins in the continued presence of 5 micrograms/ml alpha amanitin ten days postfusion. Both the synthesis of globin and other chick polypeptides occurs at levels comparable to those observed for untreated heterokaryons. Synthesis occurs under conditions in which insignificant chick RNA polymerase II activity can be detected in wild-type heterokaryons by autoradiography. These results demonstrate that RNA polymerase II is one of the mammalian proteins that is selectively taken up by the chick nucleus during reactivation in the presence of alpha amanitin. Furthermore, the mammalian RNA polymerase II alone can account for the transcription of both differentiation specific and constitutive genes in the chick nucleus.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002467	Cell Nucleus	Within a eukaryotic cell, a membrane-limited body which contains chromosomes and one or more nucleoli (CELL NUCLEOLUS). The nuclear membrane consists of a double unit-type membrane which is perforated by a number of pores; the outermost membrane is continuous with the ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM. A cell may contain more than one nucleus. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Cell Nuclei,Nuclei, Cell,Nucleus, 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
D004912	Erythrocytes	Red blood cells. Mature erythrocytes are non-nucleated, biconcave disks containing HEMOGLOBIN whose function is to transport OXYGEN.	Blood Cells, Red,Blood Corpuscles, Red,Red Blood Cells,Red Blood Corpuscles,Blood Cell, Red,Blood Corpuscle, Red,Erythrocyte,Red Blood Cell,Red Blood Corpuscle
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D005914	Globins	A superfamily of proteins containing the globin fold which is composed of 6-8 alpha helices arranged in a characterstic HEME enclosing structure.	Globin
D006822	Hybrid Cells	Any cell, other than a ZYGOTE, that contains elements (such as NUCLEI and CYTOPLASM) from two or more different cells, usually produced by artificial CELL FUSION.	Somatic Cell Hybrids,Cell Hybrid, Somatic,Cell Hybrids, Somatic,Cell, Hybrid,Cells, Hybrid,Hybrid Cell,Hybrid, Somatic Cell,Hybrids, Somatic Cell,Somatic Cell Hybrid
D000546	Amanitins	Cyclic peptides extracted from carpophores of various mushroom species. They are potent inhibitors of RNA polymerases in most eukaryotic species, blocking the production of mRNA and protein synthesis. These peptides are important in the study of transcription. Alpha-amanitin is the main toxin from the species Amanitia phalloides, poisonous if ingested by humans or animals.	Amanitin
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
D012319	RNA Polymerase II	A DNA-dependent RNA polymerase present in bacterial, plant, and animal cells. It functions in the nucleoplasmic structure and transcribes DNA into RNA. It has different requirements for cations and salt than RNA polymerase I and is strongly inhibited by alpha-amanitin. EC 2.7.7.6.	DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase II,RNA Pol II,RNA Polymerase B,DNA Dependent RNA Polymerase II
D012321	DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases	Enzymes that catalyze DNA template-directed extension of the 3'-end of an RNA strand one nucleotide at a time. They can initiate a chain de novo. In eukaryotes, three forms of the enzyme have been distinguished on the basis of sensitivity to alpha-amanitin, and the type of RNA synthesized. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992).	DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases,RNA Polymerases,Transcriptases,DNA-Directed RNA Polymerase,RNA Polymerase,Transcriptase,DNA Dependent RNA Polymerases,DNA Directed RNA Polymerase,DNA Directed RNA Polymerases,Polymerase, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerase, RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Dependent RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerases, RNA,RNA Polymerase, DNA-Directed,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Dependent,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Directed