Elsevier

Developmental Biology

Volume 87, Issue 1, 15 October 1981, Pages 126-132
Developmental Biology

Full paper
Enzymes involved in DNA replication in the axolotl: II. Control of DNA ligase activity during very early development

https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-1606(81)90066-XGet rights and content

Abstract

The light form of DNA ligase (6 S) present in the unfertilized egg of the axolotl undergoes a rapid decay as the egg enters cleavage. At the same time a heavy form of ligase (8.2 S) appears and becomes prominent. This change occurs progressively between 3 and 9 hr of development, and its control has been studied here by experimental analysis. The modification can be brought about by artificial activation of the eggs as well as by normal fertilization. The phenomenon is sensitive to cycloheximide, actinomycin D, α-amanitin, and injury of the female pronucleus by uv irradiation. These results lead to the conclusion that the shift in ligase form involves de novo protein synthesis and transcription of an intact maternal genome. The paternal genome is unable to govern a similar change in haploid androgenetic embryos. The control of ligase replacement appears, therefore, to be the consequence of a direct gene expression revealed for the first time in an egg before cleavage. This expression is differential for paternal and maternal genomes in the same cytoplasm.

References (31)

  • D.A. Wright et al.

    Nuclear and cytoplasmic contributions to dehydrogenase phenotypes in hybrid frogs embryos

    Develop. Biol

    (1971)
  • J. Brachet et al.

    Effects of actinomycin D on morphogenesis

    Nature (London)

    (1963)
  • J. Brachet et al.

    The effect of amanitin and rifampicin on Amphibian egg development

    Rev. Suisse Zool

    (1972)
  • R. Briggs et al.

    Partial characterization of the component from normal eggs which corrects the maternal effect of gene o in the mexican Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)

    J. Exp. Zool

    (1968)
  • J. Brothers

    Stable nuclear activation dependent on a protein synthesised during oogenesis

    Nature (London)

    (1976)
  • Cited by (24)

    • Parental imprinting of autosomal mammalian genes

      1994, Current Opinion in Genetics and Development
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    This work was supported by a grant from Délégation Générale à la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, Biologie de la Reproduction et du Développement, BRD n° 1 P 677.

    View full text