Quantitative analysis of RNA, glycogen and nucleotides from different developmental stages of Ascaris lumbricoides (var. suum).
Cold acid phenol extractions (Kirby, K.S. (1968) in Methods in Enzymology, Vol. XII B, pp. 87--99, Academic Press, New York) of homogenates from oocytes, zygotes and larval stages of Ascaris lumbricoides yield predominantly glycogen, some glycogen . phosphate complexes and guanine nucleotides, but only small amounts of RNA. Oocytes contain 10.0 pg of extractable 19 S and 26 S rRNA and 1.1 pg 4 S and 5 S RNA per cell. During the maturation of the oocyte to the zygote stage, the amount of 19 S and 26 S rRNA increases by 57%, and that of 4 S and 5 S RNA by 130%. Larval stages contain 62% more 19 S and 26 S rRNA, and 47% more 4 S and 5 S RNA than zygotes. The amount of the extractable glycogen decreases by about 80% and nucleotides by about 70% from oogenesis to the larval stage. The Kirby extract from homogenates of spermatids contains only traces of glycogen, glycogen . phosphate complexes and nucleotides, and 115 times less RNA per spermatid than oocytes. The nucleotide pool sizes of oocytes, zygotes and larval stages were determined; the pools consist of 71--88% guanine nucleotides. Spermatids contain only adenine nucleotides and an unidentified, nucleotide-like compound.
D000818:Animals; D001200:Ascaris / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D012265:Ribonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013087:Spermatids / Q000378:metabolism
D012265:Ribonucleotides; D012313:RNA; D006003:Glycogen