Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Presence of small-nuclear-ribonucleoprotein-containing nuclear bodies in quiescent and early germinatingZea mays embryos

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Protoplasma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Nucleolus-associated bodies (NABs) occur in interphase nuclei of many plant species. The present work shows that, inZea mays, NABs are present in dry seeds as well as in germinating tissues. The frequency of these nuclear bodies remains more or less constant during the first 24 h of imbibition but decreases significantly during the next 24 h. By the time the nucleolus reaches maturation and contains granular zones, these bodies are still found in close association with the surface of this organelle, as is the case in mature root meristematic cells. Immunocytochemical observations on both dry seeds and germinating tissues further revealed that NABs reacted positively with a monoclonal antibody (mAbK121) recognizing the m3G cap of sn(small nuclear)RNAs. It is, therefore, concluded that the NABs present in such tissues already contain components characterizing snRNPs (small nuclear ribonucleoproteins) in mature tissues. The possible function of NABs as storage deposits of snRNPs in dry seeds and early germinating tissues is discussed. In view of their many similarities with the coiled bodies described in both animal and plant cells, it is most likely that NABs correspond to those structures.

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

Abbreviations

BSA:

bovine serum albumin

DABCO:

1,4-diazabicyclo (2.2.2)octane

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

IgM:

immunoglobulin M

NAB:

nucleolus-associated body

AO:

acridine orange

NAC:

nucleolus-associated chromatin

PBS:

phosphate-buffered saline

snRNA:

small nuclear ribonucleic acid

snRNP:

small nuclear ribonucleoprotein

References

  • Andrade LEC, Chan EKL, Raska I, Peebles CL, Roos G, Tan EM (1991) Human autoantibody to a novel protein of the nuclear coiled body: immunological characterization and cDNA cloning of p80-coilin. J Exp Med 173: 1407–1419

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow PW (1983a) Nucleolus-associated bodies (karyosomes) in dividing and differentiating plant cells. Protoplasma 115: 1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1983b) Changes in the frequency of two types of nuclear body during the interphase of meristematic plant cells. Protoplasma 118: 104–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernhard W (1969) A new staining procedure for electron microscopical cytology. J Ultrastruct Res 27: 250–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Beven AF, Simpson GG, Brown JWS, Shaw PJ (1995) The organization of spliceosomal components in the nuclei of higher plants. J Cell Biol 108: 509–518

    Google Scholar 

  • Bewley JD, Black M (1994) Seeds: physiology of development and germination, 2nd edn. Plenum, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohmann K, Ferreira J, Santama N, Weis K, Lamond AI (1995) Molecular analysis of the coiled body. J Cell Sci Suppl 19: 107–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouvier-Durand M, Dereuddre J, Côme D (1981) Ultrastructural changes in the endoplasmic reticulum during dormancy release of apple embryos (Pyrus malus L.). Planta 151: 6–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Brasch K, Ochs R (1992) Nuclear bodies (NBs): a newly “rediscovered” organelle. Exp Cell Res 202: 211–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Chamberland H, Lafontaine JG (1993) Localization of snRNP antigens in nucleolus-associated bodies: study of plant interphase nuclei by confocal and electron microscopy. Chromosoma 102: 220–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Dangeard P (1947) Cytologie végétale et cytologie générale. Lechevallier, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Darzynkiewicz Z (1990) Differential staining of DNA and RNA in intact cells and isolated cell nuclei with acridine orange. In: Darzynkiewicz Z, Crissman HA (eds) Methods in cell biology, vol 33. Wiley, New York, pp 285–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson D, MacLeod RD (1968) Heterogeneity in cell behavior in primordia ofVicia faba. Chromosoma 25: 470–474

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Pertens E, Eastman MA (1978) Nuclear and cell sizes in different regions of root meristems ofZea mays L. Ann Bot 42: 1429–1438

    Google Scholar 

  • Deltour R (1985) Nuclear activation during early germination of the higher plant embryo. J Cell Sci 75: 43–83

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Bronchart R (1971) Changements de l'ultrastructure des cellules radiculaires deZea mays au début de la germination. Planta 97: 197–207

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Gautier A, Fakan J (1979) Ultrastructural cytochemistry of the nucleus inZea mays embryos during germination. J Cell Sci 40: 43–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Gall JG, Tsvetkov A, Wu Z, Murphy C (1995) Is the sphere organelle/coiled body a universal nuclear component? Dev Genet 16: 25–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Gavaudan P (1948) Echanges de matériaux figurés entre noyau et cytoplasme. Gallica Biol Acta 1: 205–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosselin LA (1946) Les satellites chez les végétaux. Contrib Inst Oka 2: 1–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyde BH (1967) Changes in nucleolar ultrastructure associated with differentiation in the root tip. J Ultrastruct Res 18: 25–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson G, Davidson R, MacNamee K, Russell G, Goodwin D, Holborow E (1982) Fading of immunofluorescence during microscopy: a study of the phenomenon and its remedy. J Immunol Methods 55: 231–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan EG (1976) Nuclear structure inDaucus carota L. Cytobiologie 14: 171–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Krainer A (1988) Pre-mRNA splicing by complementation with purified human U1, U2, U4, U6 snRNPs. Nucleic Acids Res 16: 9415–9429

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuang A, Musgrave ME (1996) Dynamics of vegetative cytoplasm during generative cell formation and maturation inArabidopsis thaliana. Protoplasma 194: 81–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Lafontaine JG (1965) A light and electron microscopic study of small spherical nuclear bodies in meristematic cells ofAllium cepa, Vicia faba andRaphanus sativus. J Cell Biol 26: 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1968) Structural components of the nucleus in mitotic plant cells. In: Dalton A, Haguenau F (eds) Ultrastructure in biological systems: the nucleus, vol 3. Academic Press, New York, pp 151–196

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Chamberland H (1995) Relationship of nucleolus-associated bodies with the nucleolar organizer tracks in plant interphase nuclei (Pisum sativum). Chromosoma 103: 545–553

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Luck B, Gugg S (1991) Nucleolus-associated bodies in meristematic cells of two plant species (Cicer arietinum andLeucaena glauca) with different ploidy levels. Can J Bot 69: 1329–1336

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Goascogne C, Beaulieu EE (1977) Hormonally controlled “nuclear bodies” during the development of prepuberal rat uterus. Biol Cell 30: 195–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattaj IW (1988) UsnRNP assembly and transport. In: Birnstiel M (ed) Structure and function of major and minor small nuclear ribonucleoproteins. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo, pp 100–114

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1934) The relation of a particular chromosomal element to the development of the nucleoli inZea mays. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat 21: 294–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Moreno Díaz de la Espina S, Sanchez Pina A, Risueño MC, Medina FJ, Fernandéz-Gomez ME (1980) The role of plant coiled bodies in nuclear RNA metabolism. Electron Microsc 2: 240–241

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Risueño MC, Medina FJ (1982) Ultrastructural, cytochemical and autoradiographic characterization of coiled bodies in the plant cell nucleus. Biol Cell 44: 229–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Motte P, Deltour R, Mosen H, Bronchart R (1988) Three-dimensional electron microscopy of the nucleolus and nucleolus-associated chromatin (NAC) during early germination ofZea mays L. Biol Cell 62: 65–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Olmedilla A, de Dios Alché J, Rodríguez-García MI (1997) Nucleolar evolution and coiled bodies during meiotic prophase inOlea europaea: differential localization of nucleic acids. Eur J Cell Biol 74: 181–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen HA, Makaroff CA (1995) Ultrastructure of microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis inArabidopsis thaliana L. Heynh. ecotype Wassilewskija (Brassicaceae). Protoplasma 185: 7–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson EC, Davies HG (1982) A critical evaluation of Bernhard's EDTA regressive staining technique for RNA. J Cell Sci 54: 207–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Risueño MC, Medina FJ (1982) Ultrastructural, cytochemical and autoradiographic characterization of coiled bodies in the plant cell nucleus. Biol Cell 44: 229–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth MB (1995) Spheres, coiled bodies and nuclear bodies. Curr Opin Cell Biol 7: 325–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson GG, Filipowicz W (1996) Splicing of precursors to mRNA in higher plants: mechanism, regulation and sub-nuclear organization of the spliceosomal machinery. Plant Mol Biol 32: 1–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Spector DL (1993) Macromolecular domains within the cell nucleus. Annu Rev Cell Biol 9: 265–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuma R, Stolk JA, Roth MB (1993) Identification and characterization of a sphere organelle protein. J Cell Biol 122: 767–773

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber K, Rathke PC, Osborne M (1978) Cytoplasmic microtubular images in glutaraldehyde-fixed tissue culture cells by electron microscopy and by immunofluorescence microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 75: 1820–1824

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster PL, Davidson D (1968) Evidence from thymidine-3H-labeled meristems ofVicia faba of two cell populations. J Cell Biol 39: 332–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams LM, Jordan EG, Barlow PW (1983) The ultrastructure of nuclear bodies in interphase plant cell nuclei. Protoplasma 118: 95–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu CH, Murphy C, Gall JG (1996) The Sm binding-site targets U7 snRNA to coiled bodies (spheres) of amphibian oocytes. RNA 2: 811–823

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pavillon Marchand, Université Laval, G1K 7P4, Québec, Qué, Canada

    R. Gulemetova, H. Chamberland, S. Gugg, M. Plante & J. G. Lafontaine

Authors
  1. R. Gulemetova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Chamberland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Gugg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Plante
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. G. Lafontaine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gulemetova, R., Chamberland, H., Gugg, S. et al. Presence of small-nuclear-ribonucleoprotein-containing nuclear bodies in quiescent and early germinatingZea mays embryos. Protoplasma 202, 192–201 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01282547

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01282547

Keywords

Search

Navigation