title: Quantitative aspects of RNA synthesis in normal and lithium-treated embryos ofXenopus laevis.
abstract: The treatment ofXenopus early embryos with lithium chloride produces exogastruale - embryos which fail to gastrulate normally and in which the rates of cell division are reduced. In the present study estimations of incorporations of (5-3H) uridine and the specific activities of the 5'-ribonucleotide precursor pools showed that exogastrulae have higher rates of RNA synthesis per cell than control neurulae. Sub-cellular fractionations showed that a greater proportion of labelled RNA was retained in the nuclei of exogastrulae than of neurulae, while neurulae showed a greater incorporation into polysomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, L69 3BX, Liverpool, England.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, L69 3BX, Liverpool, England.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, L69 3BX, Liverpool, England.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanisstreet
keywords: Early embryo; Lithium; Polysomes; RNA synthesis; Xenopus laevis