Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ribosomal DNA and its expression in Drosophila melanogaster during growth and development

  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Ribosomal DNA content has been determined in several adult and larval tissues of Drosophila melanogaster. Underreplication of rRNA genes was observed in polytenic salivary glands of larvae. On the contrary, polytenic/polyploid ovaries showed no decrease in rDNA. It is concluded that polyteny is not necessarily associated with underreplication of rDNA. No other tissue examined displayed any change in rDNa redundancy. Third-instar-larvae showed a decrease in rDNA amount which might be partly accounted for by underreplication of rDNA in salivary glands. No such decrease was seen in pupae. Bobbed genotypes were essentially similar to wild type in all tissues except salivary glands. In this case, it was found that the extent of underreplication is less in bobbed as compared to wild genotypes.

Ribosomal DNA activity was examined in various tissues of Drosophila melanogaster. The rates of rRNA synthesis vary greatly between various tissues. It is concluded that a control at the level of gene activity operates as differences in the amount of precursor rRNA synthesized can be observed both in flies of varying rDNA contents as well as in various tissues of the same genotype.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ashburner, M.: Function and structure of polytene chromosomes during insect development. Advanc. Insect Physiol. 7, 1–196 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Birnstiel, M.L., Spiers, J., Purdom, I., Loening, U.: Properties and composition of the isolated ribosomal DNA satellite of Xenopus laevis. Nature (Lond.) 219, 455–463 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Birnstiel, M.L., Chipchase, M., Spiers, J.: The ribosomal RNA cistrons. Prog. Nuc. Acid Res. Mol. Biol. 11, 351–389 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, D.D.: The genes for rRNA and their transcription during amphibian development. Current Topics Develop. Biol. 2, 47–73 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, D.D., Weber, C.S.: Gene linkage by RNA-DNA hybridization. Unique sequences homologous to 4S,5S and rRNA. J. molec. Biol. 34, 661–680 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cave, M.D.: Absence of the rDNA amplification in the meroistic (telotrophic) ovary of the large milkweed Oncopeltus fasciatus. J. Cell Biol. 66, 461–474 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickson, E., Boyd, J., Laird, C.D.: Sequence diversity of polytene chromosome DNA from Drosophila hydei. J. molec. Biol. 61, 615–627 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Endow, S.A., Gall, J.G.: Differential replication of satellite DNA in polyploid tissues of Drosophila virilis. Chromosoma (Berl.) 50, 175–192 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fristrom, J.W., Heinze, W.: The preparative isolation of imaginal discs. Drosophi. Inf. Serv. 43, 186 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gall, J.G.: The genes for rRNA during oogenesis. Genetics 61 (Suppl.), 121–132 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gall, J.G., Cohen, E.M., Polan, M.L.: Repititive DNA sequences from Drosophila. Chromosoma (Berl.) 33, 319–344 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gambarini, A.G., Meneghini, R.: Ribosomal RNA genes in salivary gland and ovary of Rhyncosciara angelae. J. Cell Biol. 54, 421–425 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerbi, R.A.: Localization and characterization of the ribosomal RNA cistrons in Sciara coprophila. J. molec. Biol. 58, 499–511 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, J.R.: Synthesis and properties of ribosomal RNA in Drosophila. J. molec. Biol. 46, 85–98 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hennig, W., Meer, B.: Reduced polyteny of rRNA cistrons in giant chromosomes of Drosophila hydei. Nature (Lond.) New Biol. 233, 270–272 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacob, J., Sirlin, J.L.: Cell function in the ovary of Drosophila. I. DNA classes in nurse cell nuclei as determined by autoradiography. Chromosoma (Berl.) 10, 210–228 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lima-de-Faria, Pero, R., Avanzi, S., Durante, M., Stahle, U., D'Amato, F., Granstrom, H.: Underreplication of rRNA genes in polytenic suspensor cells. Hereditas 79, 5–20 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, G.F., Hennig, W.: The nucleolus in primary spermatocytes of Drosophila hydei. Chromosoma (Berl.) 46, 121–144 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, L., Brown, D.D.: Variations in the activity of nucleolar organizers and their ribosomal gene content. Chromosoma (Berl.) 28, 430–444 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, J.: Influence of the RNA content on oogenesis in the bobbed mutants of Drosophila melanogaster. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 25, 237–246 (1971a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, J.: Influence of mating upon ribosomal RNA synthesis and egg production in Drosphila melanogaster. J. Insect. Physiol. 17, 1061–1064 (1971b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, J.: The synthesis of 5S RNA and its relationship to 18S and 28S RNA in the bobbed mutants of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 81, 723–738 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, J., Dunn, A., Casola, L.: Ribosomal DNA content in the rat. Nature (Lond.) 233, 295–296 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, J., Ritossa, F.M.: Regulation of rRNA synthesis and its bearing on the bobbed phenotype in Drosophila melanogaster. Develop. Biol. 22, 495–512 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pardue, M.L., Gerbi, S.A., Eckhardt, R.A., Gall, J.G.: Cytological localization of DNA complementary to rRNA in polytenic chromosomes of Diptera. Chromosoma (Berl.) 29, 268–290 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Petri, W.H., Fristrom, J.W., Stewart, D.J., Hanly, E.W.: The in vitro synthesis and characteristics of rRNA in imaginal discs of Drosophila melanogaster. Molec. gen. Genet. 110, 245–262 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritossa, F.M., Unstable redundancy of genes for rRNA. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 60, 509–516 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritossa, F.M., Atwood, K.C., Spiegelman, S.: A molecular explanation of the bobbed mutants of Drosophila melanogaster as partial deficiencies of ribosomal DNA Genetics 54, 819–834 (1966a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritossa, F.M., Atwood, K.C., Lindsley, D.L., Spiegelman, S.: On the chromosomal distribution of DNA complementary to ribosomal and soluble RNA. Nat. Cancer Inst. Monogr. 23, 449–472 (1966b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritossa, F.M., Malva, C., Boncinelli, E., Graziani, F., Polito, L.: The first steps of magnification of DNA complementary to rRNA in the nucleolus organizer of Drosophila melanogaster. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 53, 737–745 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritossa, F.M., Scala, G.: Equilibrium variations in the redundancy of rDNA in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 61 (Suppl.), 305–317 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritossa, F.M., Spiegelman, S.: Localization of DNA complementary to rRNA in the NO region of Drosophila melanogaster. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 53, 737–745 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schalet, A.: Exchanges at the bobbed locus of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 63, 133–153 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sibatani, A.: Differences in the proportion of DNA specific to rRNA between adults and larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Molec. gen. Genet. 114, 177–180 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sirlin, J.L.: Biology of RNA. New York-London: Academic Press (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sirlin, J.L., Jacob, J.: Cell function in the ovary of Drosophila. II. Behaviour of RNA. Exp. Cell Res. 20, 283–293 (1960)

    Google Scholar 

  • Spear, B.B.: The genes for rRNA in diploid and polytene chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster. Chromosoma (Berl.) 48, 159–179 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Spear, B.B., Gall, J.G.: Independent control of ribosomal gene replication in polytene chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 70, 1359–1363 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tartof, K.D.: Regulation of ribosomal RNA gene multiplicity in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 73, 57–71 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • White, R.L.: Quoted in Wimber and Steffensen (1974)

  • Williamson, J.H., Procunier, J.D.: Does the rDNA on the Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster magnify? Nature (Lond.) New. Biol. 243, 190–191 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimber, D.E., Steffensen, D.M.: Localization of gene function. Ann. Rev. Genet. 7, 205–223 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodcock, D.M., Sibatani, A.: Differential variations in the DNA of Drosophila melanogaster during development. Chromosoma (Berl.) 50, 147–173 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Haryana Agricultural University, 125004, Hissar, India

    Jag Mohan

Authors
  1. Jag Mohan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by O. Siddiqi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mohan, J. Ribosomal DNA and its expression in Drosophila melanogaster during growth and development. Molec. Gen. Genet. 147, 217–223 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00267574

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00267574

Keywords

Search

Navigation