Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Transplantation of insect giant chromosome nuclei into amphibian oocytes

  • Published:
Chromosoma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Polytene salivary gland nuclei of Chironomus pallidivittatus were transplanted into oocytes of Xenopus laevis which were then cultured in vitro for 18 h. The giant chromosomes and nucleoli as well as the entire nuclei enlarged considerably in volume during this time. The polyteny and specific chromomere pattern of the chromosomes were maintained, and the puffing of the salivary gland-specific Balbiani rings was not noticeably changed. — Polytene nuclei from differentiated insect cells transplanted into Xenopus oocytes thus appear suited for exposing giant chromosomes in vivo to purified factors such as regulatory molecules.

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

  • Beermann, W.: Nuclear differentiation and functional morphology of chromosomes. Cold Spr. Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 21, 217–232 (1956)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beermann, W.: Ein Balbiani-Ring als Locus einer Speicheldrüsenmutation. Chromosoma (Berl.) 12, 1–25 (1961)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beermann, W.: Directed changes in the pattern of Balbiani ring puffing in Chironomus: Effects of a sugar treatment. Chromosoma (Berl.) 41, 297–326 (1973)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berendes, H.D.: The hormone ecdysone as effector of specific changes in the pattern of gene activities of Drosophila hydei. Chromosoma (Berl.) 22, 274–293 (1967)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clever, U.: Genaktivitäten in den Riesenchromosomen von Chironomus tentans und die Beziehungen zur Entwicklung. I. Genaktivierung durch Ecdyson. Chromosoma (Berl.) 12, 607–675 (1961)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ford, C.C., Gurdon, J.B.: A method for enucleating oocytes of Xenopus laevis. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 37, 203–209 (1977)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grossbach, U.: Cell differentiation in the salivary gland of Camptochironomus tentans and C. pallidivittatus. Ann. Zool. Fennici 5, 37–40 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossbach, U.: Chromosomen-Aktivität und biochemische Zelldifferenzierung in den Speicheldrüsen von Camptochironomus. Chromosoma (Berl.) 28, 136–178 (1969)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grossbach, U.: Chromosome puffs and gene expression in polytene cells. Cold Spr. Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. 38, 619–627 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossbach, U.: The salivary gland of Chironomus (Diptera): A model system for the study of cell differentiation. In: Biochemical differentiation in insect glands (W. Beermann, ed.). Results and problems in cell differentiation, vol. 8, p. 147–196. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1977

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurdon, J.B.: Changes in somatic cell nuclei inserted into growing and maturing amphibian oocytes. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 20, 401–414 (1968)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gurdon, J.B.: The control of gene expression in animal development. Oxford and Cambridge: Oxford and Harvard University Presses 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Gurdon, J.B.: Injected nuclei in frog oocytes: fate, enlargement, and chromatin dispersal. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 36, 523–540 (1976)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gurdon, J.B., Robertis, E.M. De, Partington, G.: Injected nuclei in frog oocytes provide a living system for the study of transcriptional control. Nature (Lond.) 260, 116–120 (1976a)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gurdon, J.B., Partington, G.A., Robertis, E.M. De: Injected nuclei in frog oocytes: RNA synthesis and protein exchange. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 36, 541–553 (1976b)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robert, M.: Isolation and manipulation of salivary gland nuclei and chromosomes. In: Methods in cell biology (D.M. Prescott, ed.), vol. 9, p. 377–390. New York: Academic Press 1975

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertis, E.M. De, Gurdon, J.B.: Gene activation in somatic nuclei after injection into amphibian oocytes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 74, 2470–2474 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertis, E.M. De, Partington, G.A., Longthorne, R.F., Gurdon, J.B.: Somatic nuclei in amphibian oocytes: evidence for selective gene expression. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 40, 199–214 (1977)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C., Brill, D., Bownes, M., Ford, C.: Drosophila nuclei replicate in Xenopus eggs. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 55, 183–194 (1980)

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Entwicklungsphysiologie, Universität Göttingen, Berliner Str. 28, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    Ulrich Grossbach & Ingeborg Streichhan

Authors
  1. Ulrich Grossbach
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ingeborg Streichhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This paper is dedicated to Professor Wolfgang Beermann on the occasion of his 60th birthday

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grossbach, U., Streichhan, I. Transplantation of insect giant chromosome nuclei into amphibian oocytes. Chromosoma 82, 189–196 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286103

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286103

Keywords

Search

Navigation