Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of actinomycin D on ribosomal RNA and protein synthesis as revealed by high resolution autoradiography

  • Published:
Virchows Archiv B

Summary

Incorporation of tritiated amino acids and uridine was studied in untreated and actinomycin D treated HeLa cells by high resolution autoradiography. Results showed a non-selective inhibition of protein synthesis by actinomycin, as measured by the decrease in radioactive amino acid uptake. When cells pretreated with actinomycin D were incubated with radioactive amino acids and uridine, amino acid uptake in the nucleolus still occurred, while uridine uptake was almost completely eliminated. These findings suggest that in the absence of ribosomal RNA precursor synthesis, nucleolar protein synthesis continues to some extent, and that this protein is transported to the nucleolus.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Oreenberg, J.R.: High stability of messenger RNA in growing cultured cells. Nature240, 102 (1972)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maden, B.E.H., Vaughan, M.H., Warner, J.R., Darnell, J.E.: Effects of valine deprivation on ribosome formation in HeLa cells. J. Mol. Biol.45, 265 (1969)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maisel, J.C., McConkey, E.H.: Nuclear protein metabolism in actinomycin D treated HeLa cells. J. Mol. Biol.61, 251 (1971)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez, A., Argüelles, F., Cervera, J., Gomar, F. Jr.: Sites of sulfatation in the chondrocytes of the articular cartilage of the rabbit. A study by quantitative radioautography of high resolution. Virchows Arch. B Cell Path.23, 53 (1977)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, W., Attardi, G.: Stability of cytoplasmic messenger RNA in HeLa cells. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.70, 115 (1973)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, R.P.: Selective effects of actinomycin D on the intracellular distribution of RNA synthesis in tissue culture cells. Exp. Cell Res.29, 400 (1963)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puckett, L., Chambers, S., Darnell, J.E.: Short-lived messenger RNA in HeLa cells and its impact on the kinetics of accumulation of cytoplasmic polyadenylate. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.72, 389 (1975)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singer, R.H., Penman, S.: Stability of HeLa cells mRNA in actinomycin. Nature240, 100 (1972)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warner, J.R.: In the absence of ribosomal RNA synthesis, the ribosomal proteins of HeLa cells are synthesized normally and degraded rapidly. J. Mol. Biol.115, 315 (1977)

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, R.S., Kumar, A., Warner, J.R.: Ribosome formation is blocked by camptothecin, a reversible inhibitor of RNA synthesis. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.68, 3009 (1971)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Martinez-Ramón, A. Effects of actinomycin D on ribosomal RNA and protein synthesis as revealed by high resolution autoradiography. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 31, 251–257 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889942

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889942

Key words

Navigation