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M A Gorovsky

Publications and source records attributed to M A Gorovsky.

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The histones associated with condensed and extended chromatin of mouse liver.

Histones were extracted from isolated mouse liver nuclei, and from mouse liver condensed and extended chromatin. Mouse liver histones were found to be very similar to those of calf thymus in their solubility properties, relative electrophoretic mobilities, and molecular weights as determined on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Quantitative analysis by high-resolution gel electrophoresis demonstrated a remarkable similarity between the histones of condensed chromatin and those of extended chromatin. However, minor differences were found. A unique subspecies was found only in condensed chromatin histone and the relative amounts of fractions F2A1 and F2A2 differed in the two types of chromatin. The ratio of the parental to the acetylated form of F2A1 was identical in the two chromatin samples. Since DNA extracted from the condensed chromatin fraction consisted of approximately 50% satellite DNA, the general similarities between the histones of condensed and extended chromatin make it likely that even this simple, highly repetitive DNA is complexed with a number of histone subfractions.

Animals↗

Studies on nuclear structure and function in Tetrahymena pyriformis. II. Isolation of macro- and micronuclei.

This report describes a rapid, efficient method for isolating macronuclei from Tetrahymena. The macronuclear fraction contains only small amounts of micronuclear material and little detectable whole cell or cytoplasmic contamination. A method is also described for preparing a "micronuclear fraction" which contains 20-40 micronuclei for every macronucleus present. Electron microscope observations indicate that the ultrastructure of the nuclei in the macronuclear fraction closely resembles that of nuclei in situ. The presence of ribosomes on the outer membrane of micronuclei and of pores in the micronuclear envelope is also described.

Animals↗

Studies on nuclear structure and function in Tetrahymena pyriformis. 3. Comparison of the histones of macro- and micronuclei by quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Histones were extracted from isolated macro- and micronuclear fractions and from nucleohistone fibers which were prepared from the isolated macronuclear fraction. Analysis of these histones by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that there are electrophoretic differences between the histones of macro- and micronuclei.

Acrylates↗

A temperature-sensitive mutation affecting synthesis of outer arm dyneins in Tetrahymena thermophila.

We have characterized a novel, temperature-sensitive mutation affecting motility in Tetrahymena thermophila. Mutants grew and divided normally at the restrictive temperature (38 degrees C), but became nonmotile. Scanning electron microscopic analysis indicated that nonmotile mutants contained the normal number of cilia and that the cilia were of normal length. Transmission electron microscopic analysis indicated that axonemes isolated from nonmotile mutants lacked outer dynein arms, so the mutation was named oad 1 (outer arm deficient). Motile mutants shifted to 38 degrees C under conditions that prevent cell growth and division (starvation) remained motile suggesting that once assembled into axonemes at the permissive temperature (28 degrees C) the outer arm dyneins remain functional at 38 degrees C. Starved, deciliated mutants regenerated a full complement of functional cilia at 38 degrees C, indicating that the mechanism that incorporates the outer arm dynein into developing axonemes is not affected by the oad 1 mutation. Starved, nonmotile mutants regained motility when shifted back to 28 degrees C, but not when incubated with cycloheximide. We interpret these results to rule out the hypothesis that the oad 1 mutation affects the site on the microtubules to which the outer arm dyneins bind. Axonemes isolated from mutants grown for one generation at 38 degrees C had a mean of 6.0 outer arm dyneins, and axonemes isolated from mutants grown for two generations at 38 degrees C had a mean of 3.2 outer arm dyneins. Taken together, these results indicate that the oad 1 mutation affects the synthesis of outer arm dyneins in Tetrahymena.

Animals↗

A developmentally eliminated sequence in the flanking region of the histone H1 gene in Tetrahymena thermophila contains short repeats.

In Tetrahymena, as in other ciliated protozoans, a transcriptionally active, 'somatic' macronucleus develops from a transcriptionally inactive 'germline' micronucleus after conjugation. The process of development involves elimination of germline DNA segments at thousands of locations in the genome. The characterization of one of these segments in Tetrahymena thermophila is described here. This micronucleus-specific DNA has been identified by comparing the sequence of the corresponding micronuclear and macronuclear regions. The micronucleus-specific DNA is over 1 kb long, is AT-rich and has TTT direct repeats at its termini. At one end of the micronuclear sequence there is a 130 bp duplication, and at the other end there are several related repeats of a 13-mer. Short G-rich sections are found in the middle of the eliminated DNA, as well as on one side of the rearrangement junction. Short G-rich segments are also detectable in three previously described micronucleus-specific sequences. The micronuclear sequence described here is a member of a repeat family. Cross-hybridizing sequences are also detectable in some other Tetrahymena species. The distribution of cross-hybridizing sequences among related species is not consistent with the phylogenetic tree.

Animals↗