title: Experimental changes in the amount of maternally stored ribosomes affect the translation efficiency of ribosomal protein mRNA in Xenopus embryo.
abstract: The amount of maternal free ribosomes in developing Xenopus embryos has been experimentally modified; an increase was obtained by microinjection of purified ribosomes into fertilized eggs, and a decrease was induced by treatment with a drug which reduces the amount of free ribosomes. The effect of this manipulation on the partition of the ribosomal protein mRNA (rp-mRNA) was analyzed during embryo development; it was observed that when ribosomes available for translation are in excess, polysome loading with rp-mRNA decreases. Conversely, when ribosomes are scarce, polysome loading of rp-mRNA increases. These experiments, which artificially stress events observed in the course of development, indicate that there is a relationship between the availability of ribosomes in the cells and the utilization of rp-mRNA for synthesis of ribosomal proteins, as already suggested by previous observations on r-protein synthesis during embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biologia Cellulare CNR, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pierandrei-Amaldi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Campioni
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cardinali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins