Contribution of maternal mRNA for maintenance of Ca2+-dependent reaggregating activity in dissociated cells of Xenopus laevis embryos.
Dissociated Xenopus laevis blastula cells, where reaggregation was inhibited in Ca2+-free medium, reaggregated immediately after the addition of Ca2+. This reaggregation was not inhibited by cordycepin or actinomycin D treatment during culture, although cycloheximide and puromycin were inhibitory. The reaggregation was not inhibited even when fertilized eggs were microinjected with cordycepin and their RNA synthesis was continuously inhibited through cleavage to blastula stages. In neurula cells, cordycepin treatment induced significant reduction in sizes of aggregates formed. These results suggest that the Ca2+-dependent reaggregating activity of blastula cells is maintained by the translation of maternal, rather than newly synthesized, mRNA.
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*
D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012313:RNA; D002118:Calcium