Translational regulation of δ-crystallin synthesis during lens development in the chicken embryo

[摘要] Therateofδ-crystallinsynthesiswascorrelatedwiththeamountofδ-crystallinmRNAsequencesinthecentralregionsoflensepitheliafrom6-and19-day-oldembryonicand2-year-oldadultchickens.The6-and19-day-oldembryoniclensepithelialcellshadequivalentamountsofδ-crystallinmRNAsequences,butthesewereusedapproximatelythreetimesmoreefficientlyintheformerthaninthelatter.Bycontrast,adultlensepithelialcellslackeddetectableamountsofδ-crystallinmRNAanddidnotsynthesizeδ-crystallin.Theamountofδ-crystallinmRNAsequencespercellapproximatelydoubledwithoutanincreaseinthecellularrateofδ-crystallinsynthesisin19-day-oldlensepitheliaculturedfor24hrinmediumcontainingfetalcalfserum.TranslationinarabbitreticulocytelysateofRNAextractedfromfreshlyexplantedandcultured19-day-oldembryoniclensepitheliaindicatedthattheδ-crystallinmRNAsequenceswereinatranslatableform.Culturedadultlensepitheliashowedneitherδ-crystallinsynthesisnorδ-crystallinmRNAsequences.Weconclude:(1)thattherateofδ-crystallinsynthesisperlensepithelialcelldecreasesduringembryonicdevelopmentandbecomesundetectableintheadultand(2)thatthereductioninδ-crystallinsynthesisisassociatedwithdecreasedutilizationofδ-crystallinmRNAintheembryoniclensepithelialcellsandtoalossofthemRNAintheadultepithelialcells.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）