Differential stability of zein mRNA in developing corn kernel.
The lifetime of the zein mRNA in a developing corn (Zea mays L.) kernel under genome transcription blockade with actinomycin D (in vivo) and in a cell-free system (in vitro) was studied. After a 10 h blockade of gene transcription with actinomycin D, only 55% of 19 kDa zein mRNA and 40% of 22 kDa mRNA were detected in a developing kernel of normal corn. In that of the opaque-2 mutant 80% of 19 kDa zein mRNA remained. To examine the relative stability of poly(A)-containing mRNA, cell-free systems from rabbit reticulocyte lysate and wheat-germ extract were used. In both cases only 40% of 19 kDa zein mRNA and 60% of 22 kDa zein mRNA decayed during a 30 min incubation. Differential mRNA degradation of poly(A)-containing zein mRNA was observed on affinity chromatography; poly(A)-containing 19 kDa zein mRNA from normal corn partially decayed by elution from poly(U)-Sepharose whereas that from opaque-2 remained stable. These data suggest that differential mRNA stability is an important factor in the regulation of the zein gene expression in a developing corn kernel.
Plotnikov
V K
VK
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Krasnodar Lukyanenko Research Institute of Agriculture, Russia.
Bakaldina
N B
NB
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002474:Cell-Free System; D015342:DNA Probes; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D012156:Reticulocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D014908:Triticum / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015028:Zein / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003609:Dactinomycin; D015028:Zein