Control of specific gene expression in higher organisms. Expression of mammalian genes may be controlled by repressors acting on the translation of messenger RNA

Separation of specific initiation factors involved in the translation of myosin and myoglobin messenger RNAs and the isolation of a new RNA involved in translation

Two messenger specific factors, phosphocellulose fractions 3 and 4, have been isolated from the initiation factor 3 fraction of red muscle initiation factors by chromatography on phosphocellulose. When added to a reticulocyte cell-free system containing both myoglobin and myosin mRNAs, phosphocellulose fraction 3 is found to specifically stimulate the synthesis of myoglobin while phosphocellulose fraction 4 is found to specifically stimulate the synthesis of myosin. In addition, a new RNA, isolated from the initiation factor 3 fraction, is shown to specifically inhibit the translation of heterologous mRNAs.

Rapid loss of translatable messenger RNA of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase during glucose repression in liver

The rate of synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (EC 4.1.1.32) in rat liver decreased with a half-life of 30 min after fasted rats were refed either a chow diet or glucose. A requirement for both glucose and insulin to bring about this rapid deinduction was shown, as well as the ability of dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate to block the decrease in enzyme synthesis. Estimates of the stability of messenger RNA of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase were made by using the inhibitors actinomycin D and cordycepin to block further messenger RNA synthesis, and then measuring the decrease in specific enzyme synthesis. It is suggested that the use of actinomycin D yields an overestimation of the template stability. The results with cordycepin imply that the enzyme messenger RNA has a short half-life of approximately 1 hr. Thus, it is possible that deinduction may proceed by way of a decrease in messenger RNA production, leading to a rapid fall in the synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.

Female steroid hormones and target cell nuclei

The data discussed herein demonstrate the great variation in target-tissue response that can occur after administration of steroid hormones. The female sex steroids can exert regulatory effects on the synthesis, activity, and possibly even the degradation of tissue enzymes and structural proteins. Each response, nevertheless, appears to be dependent on the synthesis of nuclear RNA. In many instances, the steroid actually promotes a qualitative change in the base composition and sequence of the RNA synthesized by the target cell, implying a specific effect on gene transcription. Most important is our direct quantitative evidence that sex steroids cause a net increase in the intracellular amounts of specific mRNA molecules in target tissues. It thus appears that we are discovering a pattern of steroid hormone action which includes (Fig. 1): (i) uptake of the hormone by the target cell and binding to a specific cytoplasmic receptor protein; (ii) transport of the steroid-receptor complex to the nucleus; (iii) binding of this "active" complex to specific "acceptor" sites on the genome (chromatin DNA and acidic protein); (iv) activation of the transcriptional apparatus resulting in the appearance of new RNA species which includes specific mRNA's; (v) transport of the hormone-induced RNA to the cytoplasm resulting in synthesis of new proteins on cytoplasmic ribosomes; and (vi) the occurrence of the specific steroid-mediated "functional response" characteristic of that particular target tissue. To elucidate fully the mechanism of steroid hormone action we must study the biochemistry of the process by which information held by the steroid hormone-receptor complex is transferred to the nuclear transcription apparatus. If our assumptions are correct, we should ultimately be able to discover how this hormone-receptor complex exerts a specific regulatory effect on nuclear RNA metabolism. Such regulation might be achieved (i) by direct effects on chromatin template leading to increased gene transcription and thus RNA synthesis; (ii) by activation of the polymerase complex itself; (iii) by inhibition of RNA breakdown; or (iv) by intranuclear processing of large precursor molecules so that smaller biologically active sequences are produced, and (v) by transport of RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasmic sites of cellular protein synthesis.

Regulation of tyrosine aminotrasferase activity in two liver-derived permanent cell lines

The regulation of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity has been examined in two liver-derived heteroploid cell lines. One (hepatoma tissue culture cells [HTC]) was derived from a hepatoma, the other (rat liver culture cells [RLC]) was derived from normal liver. The two cell lines show the following striking similarities in the control of this specific protein: (a) The kinetics of TAT induction by dexamethasone phosphate (DxP) are similar in randomly growing cells of both lines; (b) During mitosis and early G(1) phase of the cell cycle TAT activity cannot be induced by DxP in either cell line; (c) 2-3 h into G(1), when both lines become sensitive to inducer, basal enzyme activity declines to a new steady-state level; (d) Preinduced cells collected in mitosis show approximately twice the level of TAT activity as fully induced, randomly growing cultures and this activity is maintained in early G(1) with or without the inducer; and (e) Inhibition of RNA synthesis by 5 microg/ml of actinomycin D in preinduced, synchronized cells allows TAT activity to remain at constitutive levels throughout G(1), even in the absence of inducer. These results are presented in support of a previously described model which states that glucocorticoid hormones exert posttranscriptional control of the synthesis of specific proteins in mammalian cells.

Stabilization of interferon messenger RNA activity by treatment of cells with metabolic inhibitors and lowering of the incubation temperature

Interferon production was induced in a strain of human diploid foreskin cells with poly(I).poly(C). Cycloheximide was included in the culture medium at the time of addition of the inducer. Actinomycin D was added to the cultures 4 or 5 hr later, before the inhibition of protein synthesis was reversed at 6 hr. Thus, subsequent interferon synthesis had to be directed by messenger RNA synthesized before addition of actinomycin D. The amount of interferon produced after such treatment was about 50-fold greater than in cells induced with poly(I).poly(C) but not treated with inhibitors. Experiments using cordycepin suggested that in spite of the continued presence of the inducer the synthesis of the bulk of interferon messenger RNA was completed within the first 2 hr of exposure of cells to poly(I).poly(C) and cycloheximide. Transcription of interferon messenger RNA was apparently not affected when interferon synthesis was suppressed to various degrees by different inhibitors of protein synthesis, indicating the independence of transcription and translation. The high rate of interferon synthesis after the reversal of cycloheximide action was more sustained at 32 degrees than at 37 degrees . The rate of decrease of overall protein synthesis in cells treated with actinomycin D and then incubated either at 32 degrees or 37 degrees showed a similar dependence on incubation temperature, suggesting that the stability of messenger RNA (or of another actinomycin D-sensitive component required for protein synthesis) was greater at the lower temperature.

Suppression of DNA synthesis in hepatoma cells exposed to glucocorticoid hormone in vitro

Glucocorticoid hormone is shown to markedly suppress DNA synthesis in a line of rat hepatoma cells in vitro. In the presence of 300 nM hydrocortisone or 30 nM dexamethasone the incorporation of radioactive thymidine falls to 50% of control levels by 36 hr, and at higher concentrations of hormone inhibition can be noted as early as 12 hr and is nearly complete by 24 hr. This inhibition of radioactive thymidine incorporation reflects a true suppression of DNA synthesis, is accompanied by a corresponding inhibition of cell proliferation, and is readily reversible upon subsequent removal of hormone. In contrast to previously described effects of the glucocorticoid hormones on various cells of lymphoid origin, the inhibition of DNA synthesis in these hepatoma cells is not accompanied by appreciable cell lysis or by degradation of preformed DNA, and even when [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into DNA is inhibited by 90% or more, incorporation of [(14)C]uridine into RNA proceeds with little change. These findings all parallel previous observations on the effects of glucocorticoid hormone on the livers of intact animals and suggest that studies on the mechanism of the inhibition of DNA synthesis in the present more isolated system may lead to a better understanding of the means by which these compounds inhibit liver growth in vivo. Despite the ready suppressibility of DNA synthesis in these hepatoma cells and in two other cell lines of liver origin, none of these cell lines was found to be inducible for tyrosine aminotransferase. The apparent dissociation between two "steroid-sensitive" phenomena is of interest and warrants further investigation.

Phosphopyruvate carboxylase induction by L-tryptophan. Effects on synthesis and degradation of the enzyme

1. The administration of l-tryptophan to fed rats produces a twofold increase in hepatic phosphopyruvate carboxylase activity that represents a comparable increase in enzyme protein. With specific antibody against the enzyme we have shown that the increase in phosphopyruvate carboxylase is partially mediated via an actinomycin D-sensitive increase in enzyme synthesis. 2. In starved animals tryptophan increases the enzyme activity without any change in the relative rate of phosphopyruvate carboxylase synthesis. In this condition degradation of the enzyme is retarded by tryptophan by a mechanism that is not prevented by cycloheximide.

Regulation of nitrate reductase of Neurospora at the level of transcription and translation

The presence of nitrate is required for the induced synthesis of NADPH-nitrate reductase and its related partial activity Benzyl Viologen-nitrate reductase in a wild-type strain of Neurospora. In nit-3, a mutant lacking complete NADPH-nitrate reductase activity but retaining the partial activity Benzyl Viologen-nitrate reductase, the presence of nitrate ions is not required for the de-repressed synthesis of the latter enzyme. The accumulation of the capacity to synthesize nitrate reductase, and the related Benzyl Viologen-nitrate reductase, in the absence of protein synthesis does not require nitrate in the normal strain or in strain nit-3. Ammonia antagonizes the accumulation of this capacity in both strains. Nitrate is required for the synthesis of nitrate reductase and related activities from presumedly preformed mRNA in the wild-type strain. Nitrate is not required for the comparable function in strain nit-3. Ammonia appears to stop the synthesis of nitrate reductase and related activities from presumedly preformed mRNA in the wild-type strain and in strain nit-3. The effects of nitrate, or ammonia and of no nitrogen source on the induced synthesis of nitrate reductase cannot be explained on the basis of the effects of the different nitrogen sources on general synthesis of RNA or of protein.

Discrimination between messenger ribonucleic acids by a mammalian translation initiation factor

A factor from rabbit-reticulocyte ribosome, which stimulates by 5-fold initiation of hemoglobin mRNA translation in Krebs ascites cell extracts, was purified to homogeneity. The factor, a protein of about 65,000 molecular weight in sodium dodecyl sulfate, discriminates between various mRNAs: it stimulates translation of alpha globin mRNA and of tobacco mosaic virus RNA, but has only a small effect on beta globin mRNA and no effect at all on Mengo virus RNA translation.

Hormonal Control of Sexual Morphogenesis in Achlya: Dependence on Protein and Ribonucleic Acid Syntheses

The induction of the male sexual organ primordia (antheridial hyphae) by the steroid hormone antheridiol in the water mold Achlya ambisexualis requires both transcription and translation. Inhibition of either of these processes eliminates the expected increase in the production and release of the enzyme cellulase, which accompanies the formation of the antheridial hyphae.

Human regulatory gene for inducible tyrosine aminotransferase in rat-human hybrids

The inducibility of tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5) by corticosteroid hormones in rat-human hybrid clones was studied. The presence of human X chromosome activity in the cells was always associated with the suppression of tyrosine aminotransferase inducibility in all the clones examined. Negative correlation between the human X chromosome and inducibility of the enzyme was clearly established. Corticosteroid receptor was present to the same extent in hybrid cell clones that either contained or lost the human X chromosome. The human repressor for inducible tyrosine aminotransferase has a linkage relationship with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.8) and, therefore, can be assigned to the X chromosome.