Formation of nucleus-like structure in the cytoplasm of lambda-DNA-injected fertilized eggs and its partition into blastomeres during early embryogenesis in Xenopus laevis.
The fate of bacteriophage lambda-DNA was examined after injection into the fertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis. Injection of a large amount of lambda-DNA (ca. 24 ng) into a fertilized Xenopus egg induced the formation around the injected DNA of a giant nucleus-like structure which was surrounded by an apparently normal bilayered nuclear membrane with nuclear pore complexes. Southern blot analysis revealed the persistence of injected lambda-DNA until the blastula stage. The nucleus-like structure was partitioned into blastomeres during cleavage through a process of nuclear fission, and was maintained in a group of extraordinarily large blastomeres until the blastula stage.
D000818:Animals; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D008845:Microinjections; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology
D004279:DNA, Viral