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Protein translation during early cell divisions of sea urchin embryos regulated at the level of polypeptide chain elongation and highly sensitive to natural polyamines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2001

Annabelle Monnier
Affiliation:
Station Biologique de Roscoff, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UFR 937), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, UPR 9042), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
Julia Morales
Affiliation:
Station Biologique de Roscoff, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UFR 937), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, UPR 9042), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
Patrick Cormier
Affiliation:
Station Biologique de Roscoff, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UFR 937), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, UPR 9042), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
Sandrine Boulben
Affiliation:
Station Biologique de Roscoff, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UFR 937), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, UPR 9042), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
Robert Bellé
Affiliation:
Station Biologique de Roscoff, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UFR 937), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, UPR 9042), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France
Odile Mulner-Lorillon
Affiliation:
Station Biologique de Roscoff, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UFR 937), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, UPR 9042), BP 74, 29682 Roscoff Cedex, France

Abstract

Protein synthesis was analysed following fertilisation in sea urchin. Fluctuations in the accumulation of neo-synthesised proteins were observed during the first cell cycles. Accurate translation analyses were performed from lysates prepared from early embryos. The lysates readily translated endogenous pre-initiated mRNAs allowing the determination of elongation rates in the absence of re-initiation in vitro. The translation capacity of embryo lysates increased 18-fold from 0 to 90 min after fertilisation, reflecting the increase in the amount of pre-initiated mRNAs during early development. Kinetics analysis at a short time interval during the course of early development (240 min) showed an overall increase in the elongation rate (> 10-fold) which is regulated by pauses in synchrony with the cell divisions. Elongation activity in the lysates was highly sensitive to the natural polyamines, spermine (ID50 = 0.2 mM) and spermidine (ID50 = 1.8 mM), indicating high potential regulation by the intracellular level of polyamines in embryos. The regulation in the elongation changes associated with the early embryo cell divisions is discussed in the light of the physiological fluctuations in polyamine concentrations.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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