Abstract
Using indirect immunofluorescence visualization techniques we investigated the distribution of RNA polymerase B (or II) and histone H1 at heat shock puff loci in Drosophila melanogaster polytene chromosomes at different times during and after heat shock. After heat treatments of from 5 to 45 min, the heat shock puff displayed intense fluorescence when stained for RNA polymerase B, but relatively little fluorescence when stained for histone H1. Returning heat shocked larvae to room temperature resulted in the appearance of a distinctive pattern of RNA polymerase-associated fluorescence in the heat shock puff at 87C, presumably reflecting events associated with the inactivation and regression of this puff. Large differences observed in the apparent RNA polymerase B content of puffs of similar size suggest that the interaction of RNA polymerase B with chromosomal loci does not depend on simply the state of condensation or decondensation of the chromatin.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alfageme, C.R., Rudkin, G.T., Cohen, L.H.: Locations of chromosomal proteins in polytene chromosomes. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 73, 2038–2042 (1976)
Ashburner, M.: Patterns of puffing activity in the salivary gland chromosomes of Drosophila. Chromosoma (Berl.) 31, 356–376 (1970)
Berendes, H.D.: The control of puffing in Drosophila hydei. In: Developmental studies on giant chromosomes (W. Beermann, ed.), pp. 181–207 Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1972
Bonner, J.J., Pardue, M.L.: The effect of heat shock on RNA synthesis in Drosophila tissues. Cell 8, 43–50 (1976)
Desai, L.S., Pothier, L., Foley, G.E., Adams, R.A.: Immunofluorescent labelling of chromosomes with antisera to histones and histone fractions. Exp. Cell. Res. 70, 468–471 (1972)
Elgin, S.C.R., Weintraub, H.: Chromosomal proteins and chromatin structure. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 44, 725–774 (1975)
Greenleaf, A.L., Bautz, E.K.F.: RNA polymerase B from Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Purification and partial characterization. Europ. J. Biochem. 60, 169–179 (1975)
Greenleaf, A., Plagens, U., Bautz, E.K.F.: Localization of RNA polymerase on Drosophila polytene chromosomes by indirect immunofluorescence. ICN-UCLA Symp. molec. and Cell Biol. 5, 249 (1976)
Holt, T.K.H.: Local protein accumulation during gene activation. I. Quantitative measurements on dye binding capacity at subsequent stages of puff formation in Drosophila hydei. Chromosoma (Berl.) 32, 64–78 (1970)
Holt, T.K.H.: Local protein accumulation during gene activation. II. Interferometric measurements of the amount of solid material in temperature-induced puffs of Drosophila hydei. Chromosoma (Berl.) 32, 428–435 (1971)
Jamrich, M., Greenleaf, A.L., Bautz, E.K.F.: Localization of RNA polymerase in polytene chromosomes of Drosophila melanogaster. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 74, 2079–2083 (1977)
Lewis, M., Helmsing, P.J., Ashburner, M.: Parallel changes in puffing activity and patterns of protein synthesis in salivary glands of Drosophila. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 3604–3608 (1975)
McKenzie, S.L., Henikoff, S., Meselson, M.: Localization of RNA from heat-induced polysomes at puff sites in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 72, 1117–1121 (1975)
Plagens, U., Greenleaf, A.L., Bautz, E.K.F.: Distribution of RNA polymerase on Drosophila polytene chromosomes as studied by indirect immunofluorescence. Chromosoma (Berl.) 59, 157–165 (1976)
Ritossa, F.: A new puffing pattern induced by temperature shock and DNP in Drosophila. Experientia (Basel) 18, 571–573 (1962)
Roeder, R.G.: Eukaryotic nuclear RNA polymerases. In: RNA polymerases. Cold Spr. Harb. Monogr. Series (R. Losick and M. Chamberlin, eds.), pp. 285–329. 1976
Scott, S.E.M., Sommerville, J.: Location of nuclear proteins on the chromosomes of newt oocytes. Nature (Lond.) 250, 680–682 (1974)
Silver, L., Elgin, S.C.R.: A method for determination of the in situ distribution of chromosomal proteins. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 73, 423–427 (1976)
Spradling, A., Pardue, M.L., Penman, S.: Messenger RNA in heat-shocked Drosophila cells. J. molec. Biol. 109, 559–587 (1977)
Spradling, A., Penman, S., Pardue, M.L.: Analysis of Drosophila mRNA by in situ hybridization: sequences transcribed in normal and heat shocked cultured cells. Cell 4, 395–404 (1975)
Zhimulev, I.F., Belyaeva, E.S.: 3H-uridine labelling patterns in the Drosophila melanogaster salivary gland chromosomes X, 2R and 3L. Chromosoma (Berl.) 49, 219–231 (1975)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Greenleaf, A.L., Plagens, U., Jamrich, M. et al. RNA Polymerase B (or II) in heat induced puffs of Drosophila polytene chromosomes. Chromosoma 65, 127–136 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329465
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329465