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B K Chelm

Publications and source records attributed to B K Chelm.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Mapping of transcribed regions of Euglena gracilis chloroplast DNA.

RNA transcription from defined regions of the Euglena gracilis chloroplast genome has been characterized by hybridization of total cell RNA to 3H-labeled chloroplast DNA restriction endonuclease fragments. Chloroplast DNA was digested into five fragments of 53, 35, 25, 10, and 6.9 kilobase pairs (kbp) with Pst1. The 53-kbp DNA was also subfractionated by BamHI digestion. The extent of transcription of the Pst1 fragments was found to be 30, 17, 15, 2.2, and 2.3 kb of RNA, respectively. The total amount of RNA transcription of 67 kb represents 26% to the double-strand information content of the genome. Transcribed regions are dispersed throughout the DNA. The RNA transcripts are present in two major abundance classes in the cell. High abundance transcripts of approximately 10(6) copies/cell were mapped in the rRNA gene region of the 53-kbp fragment and in the 35-kbp fragment. Low abundance transcripts of approximately 1000--4000 copies/cell were mapped in all five Pst fragments.

Animals↗

Expression of the chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes of Euglena gracilis during chloroplast development.

The cellular content and transcription program of the chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes of Euglena gracilis Z have been determined during the light-induced development of chloroplasts by hybridization of total cell DNA or RNA to purified 3H-labeled chloroplast ribosomal DNA ([3H]ctrDNA). Pancreatic DNase activated, partially purified chloroplast rDNA was enzymatically labeled in vitro by E. coli DNA polymerase I with [3H]TTP as a substrate. The [3H] DNA was denatured and hybridized with a vast excess of purified chloroplast 16 and 23S rRNA. The rRNA-[3H]ct rCNA hybrid was isolated by chromatography on hydroxylapatite. The [3H]ct rDNA was purified and characterized by the kinetics of its renaturation with chloroplast DNA and rRNA, and by the thermal stability of [3H]DNA-DNA and [3H]DNA-RNA hybrids. [3H]ct rDNA was hybridized in trace amounts to cellular RNA or DNA isolated from Euglena cells 0,4,8,12,24,48, and 72 h after the onset of chloroplast development. From a comparison of the kinetics of hybridization with hybridization of standards of known kinetic complexity quantitative estimates of the cellular rRNA and rDNA gene content were made. Chloroplast rRNA increases from 2 to 26% of the cellular RNA during development, while the percentage of cellular DNA represented by ct rDNA increases two- to threefold. Correcting for the change in cellular RNA and DNA content during development, the number of copies of the rRNA gene increases less than twofold, while the number of copies of rRNA per cell increases sixfold. The results are consistent with either a transcriptional activation of the ribosomal genes or an increased rRNA stability during developmental.

Animals↗

Cellular content of chloroplast DNA and chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes in Euglena gracilis during chloroplast development.

The cellular content of chloroplast DNA in Euglena gracilis has been quantitatively determined. DNA was extracted from Euglena cells at various stages of chloroplast development and renatured in the presence of trace amounts of 3H-labeled chloroplast DNA. From the kinetics of renaturation of the 3H-labeled chloroplast DNA, compared with the kinetics of renaturation of excess nonradioactive chloroplast DNA, the fraction of cellular DNA represented by chloroplast DNA was calculated. The content of chloroplast DNA was found to increase from 4.9 to 14.6% of cellular DNA during light-induced chloroplast development. Correcting for the change in DNA mass per cell, the number of copies of chloroplast DNA is found to vary from 1400 to 2900 per cell. During this developmental transition, the cellular content of the chloroplast ribosomal RNA genes varies from 1900 to 5200 copies per cell. The ratio of the number of copies of rRNA genes to chloroplast genomes per cell remains in the range of 1-2 throughout chloroplast development, ruling out selective amplification of chloroplast rRNA genes as a means of regulation of rRNA gene expression. Direct measurement of the number of rRNA cistrons per 9.2 X 10(7) dalton genome yields a value of 1 or 2.

Animals↗

Use of aurintricarboxylic acid as an inhibitor of nucleases during nucleic acid isolation.

Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) is a general inhibitor of nucleases. ATA has been shown to inhibit the following enzymes in vitro: DNAse I, RNAse A, S1 nuclease, exonuclease III, and restriction endonucleases Sal I, Bam HI, Pst I and Sma I. The observed inhibition is consistent with the proposal by Blumenthal and Landers (BBRC 55, 680, 1973) that most nucleic acid binding proteins will be sensitive to ATA. The action of ATA as a nuclease inhibitor can be used to advantage in the isolation of cellular nucleic acids.

Aurintricarboxylic Acid↗

Changes in the expression of the chloroplast genome of Euglena gracilis during chloroplast development.

The transcription program from the chloroplast genome of Euglena gracilis Z during light-induced chloroplast development has been characterized by hybridization of total cell RNA to 3H-labeled chloroplast DNA. Pancreatic DNase activated, purified Euglena chloroplast DNA was enzymatically labeled by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I with [3H]TTP as a substrate. The [3H]DNA 'hybridization probe" was characterized by the kinetics of its renaturation with purified chloroplast DNA, and the thermal stability of [3H]DNA-DNA, and [3H]DNA-RNA hybrids. The [3H]DNA was hybridized in trace amounts to total cellular RNA extracted from Euglena cells 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after the onset of chloroplast development. A large percentage (17%) of the chloroplast genome was found to be transcribed in dark adapted cells. Development is marked by an initial decrease in the fraction of the genome transcribed followed by an increase to 23% transcribed at the end of 72 h of light growth. Chloroplast RNA transcripts were also characterized by the kinetics of their hybridization to chloroplast DNA. The chloroplast specific RNA population is composed of three abundance classes, and the R0t1/2 for each class varies during the early stages of chloroplast development.

Chlorophyll↗

Analysis of DNA sequences transcribed at high levels in Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids but not necessary for symbiotic effectiveness.

Five regions of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum genome, which are transcribed at high levels in nitrogen-fixing soybean (Glycine max) nodules, were identified. None of these regions contained previously identified genes (e.g., nif, nod, and fix genes) that are known to be essential for development of functional nitrogen-fixing nodules. To assess the role of these regions in the development of the B. japonicum-soybean symbiosis, we cloned and used them to construct B. japonicum strains, in which large DNA segments (2.0-6.8 kilobases) containing the highly transcribed regions were deleted. The deletion strains were examined for symbiotic effectiveness and were found to be indistinguishable from the wild-type strain. Transcription of the cloned regions under a variety of physiological conditions and in several defined mutant B. japonicum strains was also examined. The transcriptional start sites for one pair of divergent transcripts were determined; the promoters do not contain any of the conserved sequences found in B. japonicum genes involved in symbiosis or nitrogen metabolism.

Base Sequence↗