In Situ structural and functional relationships between chromatin pattern and RNP structures involved in non-nucleolar chromatin transcription

• Published in: Journal of ultrastructure research Vol. 74; no. 3; pp. 351 - 360
• Main Authors: Puvion, Edmond, Viron, Annie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier B.V 01.03.1981
• Subjects: Animals; Autoradiography; Cadmium - pharmacology; Cadmium Chloride; Cell Nucleolus - ultrastructure; Cell Nucleus - ultrastructure; Chromatin - metabolism; Chromatin - ultrastructure; Cold Temperature; DNA - analysis; Liver - ultrastructure; Male; Nucleoproteins - analysis; Rats; Ribonucleoproteins - analysis; Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 0022-5320; 1878-2345
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-5320(81)80126-8

The structural and functional relationships between chromatin, perichromatin fibrils, perichromatin granules, and interchromatin fibrils have been further studied by observing the evolution of perichromatin granule accumulation induced by the combined actions of short treatments with CdCl 2 and hypothermal shock. As observed by combined staining of RNP structures and high-resolution autoradiography after labeling the cells with [5- 3H]uridine, perichromatin granules transformed into interchromatin fibrils which migrated progressively into the interchromatin space. Specific DNA staining revealed that the transport of interchromatin fibrils occurred simultaneoulsy with the decondensation of chromatin and the appearance of fine threads of DNA in the interchromatin space. Our results confirmed that perichromatin granules represent storage forms of hnRNA at the site of extranucleolar chromatin transcription, and demonstrated that changes in chromatin pattern are related to post-transcriptional activity, especially the intranuclear transport of the newly formed hnRNA.