Translation of maternal histone mRNAs in sea urchin embryos: a test of control by 5' cap methylation.
Recent results have demonstrated the occurrence of mRNA cap methylation in the sea urchin embryo following fertilization. It has been suggested that this methylation event is responsible for the translational activation of maternal histone mRNAs in these embryos. We have used aphidicolin, an effective inhibitor of both DNA synthesis and cap methylation in cleavage stage sea urchin embryos, to examine the relationship between cap methylation and translation. At 5 micrograms/ml, a dose which rapidly abolishes DNA replication and blocks cleavage, we note no effect on recruitment or translation of maternal alpha-subtype histone mRNAs. This suggests that a postfertilization cap methylation event is not critical to the process of regulation of the translation of stored alpha-subtype histone mRNAs.
D000818:Animals; D016590:Aphidicolin; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics*; D008745:Methylation; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012315:RNA Caps / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology
D004224:Diterpenes; D006657:Histones; D012315:RNA Caps; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016590:Aphidicolin