Electron microscopic data for the presence of post-meiotic gene expression in isolated ram sperm chromatin.
A whole mount electron microscopic technique facilitated a direct visualization of transcripts in ram spermatozoa in run-on experiments. The localization of transcripts in sperm chromatin by spreading enabled identification of regions where transcription complexes, presumably pre-mRNA species, were seen related to chromatin. In another series of experiments the localization of polymerase II was demonstrated using a specific antibody against the conservative tail domain of the polymerase II molecule, followed by protein A-gold visualization on spread chromatin and on thin sections from mature spermatozoa. Incorporation of bio-UTP in transcripts was visualized by streptavidin-gold on spreading and on thin sections. The data suggest that transcription occurs at the periphery of the mature spermatozoa.
Miteva
K
K
Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproductional Development of Organisms, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Valkov
N
N
Goncharova-Peinoval
J
J
Kovachev
K
K
Zlatarev
S
S
Pironcheva
G
G
Russev
G
G
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D002843:Chromatin; D012322:RNA Precursors; D012319:RNA Polymerase II