Blocking Chlamydomonas flagellar outgrowth results in abnormal flagellar mRNA accumulation

Vegetative cells of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas regenerate a new anterior pair of flagella by about 90 minutes after deflagellation. The abundance of flagellar mRNAs (assayed by hybridizing labeled, cloned cDNAs to total RNA dotted onto membranes, followed by scintillation counting) inc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of cell biology 1985-01
Main Authors: Schloss, JA, Keller, L R, Rosenbaum, J L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chlamydomonas
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Summary:Vegetative cells of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas regenerate a new anterior pair of flagella by about 90 minutes after deflagellation. The abundance of flagellar mRNAs (assayed by hybridizing labeled, cloned cDNAs to total RNA dotted onto membranes, followed by scintillation counting) increases within 2 minutes after deflagellation and, depending on the mRNA, peaks between 20 and 60 minutes. The mRNAs return to predeflagellation levels by 2 to 3 hours. Colchicine quantitatively and reversibly inhibits flagellar outgrowth in deflagellated cells. Transcription of flagellar mRNAs increases concomitantly but their accumulation is considerable reduced relative to mRNA levels in cells deflagellated in the absence of the drug. In contrast, if flagellar outgrowth is initiated and then outgrowth is blocked by colchicine, some flagellar mRNA species accumulate to higher than normal levels. Colchicine treatment also results in a 50% decrease in flagellar mRNA abundance in nondeflagellated cells without affecting nonflagellar mRNA abundance of flagellar length. Sodium pyrophosphate treatment of cells causes flagellar resorption. During resorption of full length flagella the initially low levels of flagellar mRNAs decrease further.
ISSN:0021-9525