Abstract
Nitrogenase activity, RNA synthesis, and protein synthesis were measured in heterocysts of Anabaena variabilis. Heterocysts labelled in situ for 4 h with [14C]uracil accumulated label in rRNA and tRNA to the same specific activity as RNA from vegetative cells. With isolated heterocysts, however, assimilation of [3H]uracil into RNa occurred at about 10% the rate in vegetative cells, and ceased 90 min after isolation. Pulse-chase experiments indicated that heterogeneous, high-molecular-weight RNA synthesized during the first 30 min of incubation was turned over during a 2 h chase, howver there was no accumulation of label in rRNA and tRNA as was seen with heterocysts labelled in situ and with vegetative cells.
Assimilation of [3H]glycine into protein by isolated heterocysts was linear up to about 60 min, then proceeded at a slower rate for an additional 180 min. Maintenance of protein synsthesis and nitrogen fixation were both blocked by chloramphenicol and rifampicin. The data suggest that differentiated heterocysts continue to synthesize RNA and proteins and that these processes may contribute to the functional lifetime of heterocysts.
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Lynn, M.E., Ownby, J.D. Transcriptional activity of heterocysts isolated from Anabaena variabilis . Arch. Microbiol. 148, 115–120 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425358
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425358