Journal of Cell Science, Vol 43, Issue 1 329-340, Copyright © 1980 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Evidence of low molecular weight RNAs involved in permanent character changes in amoebae

SE Hawkins

Previous studies have established that 'informational molecules' present in cytoplasmic fractions of A. discoides may be transferred by microinjection into A. proteus. Clones derived from injected cells showed various changers, including lowered sensitivity to growth in streptomycin and neomycin, in which respects they resembled A. discoides. These changes in response to antibiotics were transferred independently and were permanent, the information being replicated over many generations. The most 'active' material in terms of the number of clones showing character changes was found following injection of 16S ribonucleoprotein obtained after sucrose density gradient centrifugation of the mcirosomal fraction. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the 16S material showed 3 small peaks of RNA. In order to obtain adequate amounts of material, these peaks of RNA were identified in electrophoresis profiles of RNA extracted from the whole microsomal fraction, and RNA eluted from these latter gels was injected into A. proteus. Although the number of surviving clones was low, all were examined for their response to growth in either streptomycin, neomycin, erythromycin or chloroquine. After injection of RNA eluted from the 3 small peaks of RNA (slices 26-33), 8 out of 10 and 9 out of 10 clones showed lowered sensitivity to growth in streptomycin and neomycin respectively, and resembled the donor A. discoides. No changes in responses to antibiotics were obtained from clones derived from cells injected with RNA eluted from another region of the gel, or after ribonuclease treatment of the RNA from slices 26-33. The relative molecular weights of these 'informational' RNA molecules were found to be between 9 and 13 X 10(4) Daltons.