Summary
H3-uridine was injected into the abdomen ofD. melanogaster andD. immigrans and after 10, 30, 60 and 120 min of incorporation, the ovaries were prepared for autoradiography. The oocyte nucleus was found to synthesize RNA during a short period of vitellogenesis (stage 10A). Ultrastructural studies of the oocyte nucleus were made at the stage active in RNA synthesis and many electron-dense structures were found to appear at this time. Since none of these structures resembled nucleoli in fine structure, it is suggested that the RNA synthesized is non-ribosomal. Other ultrastructural modifications of the oooyte nucleus are presented and discussed.
Zusammenfassung
H3-Uridin wurde in die Abdomina vonDrosophila melanogaster undDrosophila immigrans injiziert, und nach 10, 30, 60 und 120 min wurden die Ovarien für Autoradiographie präpariert. Es wurde gefunden, daß der Oozytenkern während einer kurzen Periode der Vitellogenese (Stadium 10A) RNS synthetisiert. Der Oozytenkern dieses Stadiums wurde elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Es zeigte sich, daß während dieses Stadiums elektronendichte Strukturen erscheinen. Keine dieser Strukturen sieht Nukleolen ähnlich in der Feinstruktur. Es wird deshalb angenommen, daß die synthetisierte RNS nicht ribosomale RNS ist. Auch andere feinstrukturelle Modifikationen wurden im Oozytenkern gefunden und werden hier beschrieben.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bier, K.: Synthese, interzellulärer Transport und Abbau von Ribonucleinsäure im Ovar der StubenfliegeMusca domestica. J. Cell Biol.16, 436–440 (1963).
—, Kunz, W., Ribbert, D.: Struktur und Funktion der Oocytenchromosomen und Nukleolen so wie der Extra-DNS während der Oogenese panoistischer und meriostischer Insekten. Chromosoma (Berl.)23, 214–254 (1967).
Brown, E. H., King, R. C.: Studies on the events resulting in the formation of an egg chamber inDrosophila melanogaster. Growth28, 41–81 (1964).
Cummings, M. R.: The cytology of the vitellogenic stages of oogenesis inDrosophila melanogaster. Ph. D. Diss. Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 196 pp. (1968).
David, J., Merle, J.: A reevaluation of the duration of egg chamber stages in oogenesis ofDrosophila melanogaster. Dros. Inform. Service43, 122–123 (1968).
Frasca, J. M., Parks, U. R.: A routine technique for double staining ultrathin sections using uranyl and lead salts. J. Cell Biol.25, 157–161 (1965).
Gall, J. G., Macgregor, H. C., Kidston, M. E.: Gene amplification in the oocytes of dytiscid water beetles. Chromosoma (Berl.)26, 169–187 (1969).
King, R. C.: Oogenesis in adultDrosophila melanogaster. IX. Studies on the cytochemistry and ultrastructure of the developing oocytes. Growth24, 265–323 (1960).
- Studies on early stages of insect oogenesis. Royal Entomol. Soc. of London, Symposium II, “Insect Reproduction” (K. C. Highnam, ed.), p. 13–25 (1964).
—, Burnett, R. G.: Autoradiographic study of uptake of tritiated glycine, thymidine and uridine by fruit ovaries. Science129, 1674–1675 (1959).
—, Rubinson, A. C., Smith, R. F.: Oogenesis in adultDrosophila melanogaster. Growth20, 121–157 (1956).
Koch, E. A., King, R. C.: The origin and early differentiation of the egg chamber ofDrosophila melanogaster. J. Morph.119, 283–304 (1966).
—, Smith, P. A., King, R. C.: The division and differentiation ofDrosophila cystocytes. J. Morph.121, 55–70 (1967).
Luft, J. G.: Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J. Cell Biol.9, 409–414 (1961).
Mahowald, A. P.: Ultrastructural differentiations during formation of the blastoderm in theDrosophila melanogaster embryo. Develop. Biol.8, 186–204 (1963).
—: Oogenesis. In: Developmental systems: Insects (S. J. Counce, ed.). London: Academic Press 1970a (in press).
- Polar granules ofDrosphila. III. The continuity of polar granules during the life cycle ofDrosophila. (In preparation) (1970b).
- Intercellular migration of centrioles in the germarium ofDrosophila melanogaster, studied with the electron microscope. J. Cell Biol. (in press).
Muckenthaler, F. A., Mahowald, A. P.: DNA synthesis in the ooplasm ofDrosophila melanogaster. J. Cell Biol.28, 199–208 (1966).
Roth, T. F.: Changes in the synaptonemal complex during meiotic prophase in mosquito oocytes. Protoplasma61, 346–386 (1966).
Scherrer, K., Marcaud, L.: Messenger RNA in avian erythroblasts at the transcriptional and translational levels and the problem of regulation in animal cells. J. cell. Physiol.72, Suppl. 1, 181–212 (1968).
Schultz, J.: Genes, differentiation, and animal development. Brookhaven Symp. Biol.18, 116–147 (1965).
Smith, P. A., King, R. C.: Genetic control of synaptonemal complexes inDrosophila melanogaster. Genetics60, 335–351 (1968).
Stevens, B. J., Swift, H.: RNA transport from nucleus to cytoplasm inChironomus salivary glands. J. Cell Biol.31, 55–77 (1966).
Vincent, W. S., Miller, O. L., Jr. (editors) International Symposium on the Nucleolus, its Structure and Function. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Bethesda, Maryland (1966).
Wischnitzer, S.: The ultrastructure of the nucleus and nucleocytoplasmic relations. Int. Rev. Cytol.10, 137–162 (1960).
Zalokar, M.: Études de la formation de l'acide ribonucléique et des protéines chez les insects. Rev. suisse Zool.72, 241–261 (1965).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation, Grants GB-5155, GB-5780 and GB-7980.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mahowald, A.P., Tiefert, M. Fine structural changes in theDrosophila oocyte nucleus during a short period of RNA synthesis. W. Roux' Archiv f. Entwicklungsmechanik 165, 8–25 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00576994
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00576994