Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Cell Biology logoLink to The Journal of Cell Biology
. 1984 Jan 1;98(1):358–363. doi: 10.1083/jcb.98.1.358

Ultrastructural distribution of nuclear ribonucleoproteins as visualized by immunocytochemistry on thin sections

PMCID: PMC2113018  PMID: 6231300

Abstract

The ultrastructural distribution of nuclear ribonucleoproteins (RNP) has been investigated by incubation of thin sections of mouse or rat liver, embedded in Lowicryl K4M or prepared by cryoultramicrotomy, with antibodies specific for RNP. The antibodies were localized by means of a protein A-colloidal gold complex. Anti-small nuclear (sn)RNP antibodies, specific for determinants of the nucleoplasmic snRNP species containing U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6 RNAs, were found associated preferentially with perichromatin fibrils, interchromatin granules, and coiled bodies. This indicates an early association of snRNP with structural constituents containing newly synthesized heterogeneous nuclear RNA. It also suggests a possible structural role of some snRNPs in nuclear architecture. Antibodies against the core proteins of heterogeneous nuclear RNP particles associate preferentially with the border regions of condensed chromatin, and in particular with perichromatin fibrils and some perichromatin granules. These results are discussed in view of recent knowledge about the possible role of nucleoplasmic RNP-containing components in the functions of the cell nucleus.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (814.0 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Armbruster B. L., Carlemalm E., Chiovetti R., Garavito R. M., Hobot J. A., Kellenberger E., Villiger W. Specimen preparation for electron microscopy using low temperature embedding resins. J Microsc. 1982 Apr;126(Pt 1):77–85. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1982.tb00358.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bachellerie J. P., Puvion E., Zalta J. P. Ultrastructural organization and biochemical characterization of chromatin - RNA - protein complexes isolated from mammalian cell nuclei. Eur J Biochem. 1975 Oct 15;58(2):327–337. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1975.tb02379.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berezney R., Coffey D. S. Nuclear matrix. Isolation and characterization of a framework structure from rat liver nuclei. J Cell Biol. 1977 Jun;73(3):616–637. doi: 10.1083/jcb.73.3.616. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bernhard W. A new staining procedure for electron microscopical cytology. J Ultrastruct Res. 1969 May;27(3):250–265. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(69)80016-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Daskal Y., Komaromy L., Busch H. Isolation and partial characterization of perichromatin granules. A unique class of nuclear RNP particles. Exp Cell Res. 1980 Mar;126(1):39–46. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(80)90468-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fakan S., Bernhard W. Nuclear labelling after prolonged 3H-uridine incorporation as visualized by high resolution autoradiography. Exp Cell Res. 1973 Jun;79(2):431–444. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(73)90463-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fakan S., Nobis P. Ultrastructural localization of transcription sites and of RNA distribution during the cell cycle of synchronized CHO cells. Exp Cell Res. 1978 May;113(2):327–337. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(78)90373-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fakan S., Puvion E., Sphor G. Localization and characterization of newly synthesized nuclear RNA in isolate rat hepatocytes. Exp Cell Res. 1976 Apr;99(1):155–164. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(76)90690-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fakan S., Puvion E. The ultrastructural visualization of nucleolar and extranucleolar RNA synthesis and distribution. Int Rev Cytol. 1980;65:255–299. doi: 10.1016/s0074-7696(08)61962-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hinterberger M., Pettersson I., Steitz J. A. Isolation of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins containing U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6 RNAs. J Biol Chem. 1983 Feb 25;258(4):2604–2613. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jones R. E., Okamura C. S., Martin T. E. Immunofluorescent localization of the proteins of nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes. J Cell Biol. 1980 Jul;86(1):235–243. doi: 10.1083/jcb.86.1.235. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lerner E. A., Lerner M. R., Janeway C. A., Jr, Steitz J. A. Monoclonal antibodies to nucleic acid-containing cellular constituents: probes for molecular biology and autoimmune disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 May;78(5):2737–2741. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.5.2737. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lerner M. R., Boyle J. A., Mount S. M., Wolin S. L., Steitz J. A. Are snRNPs involved in splicing? Nature. 1980 Jan 10;283(5743):220–224. doi: 10.1038/283220a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Miller T. E., Huang C. Y., Pogo A. O. Rat liver nuclear skeleton and ribonucleoprotein complexes containing HnRNA. J Cell Biol. 1978 Mar;76(3):675–691. doi: 10.1083/jcb.76.3.675. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Monneron A., Bernhard W. Fine structural organization of the interphase nucleus in some mammalian cells. J Ultrastruct Res. 1969 May;27(3):266–288. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(69)80017-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Nash R. E., Puvion E., Bernhard W. Perichromatin fibrils as components of rapidly labeled extranucleolar RNA. J Ultrastruct Res. 1975 Dec;53(3):395–405. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(75)80040-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Puvion E., Bernhard W. Ribonucleoprotein components in liver cell nuclei as visualized by cryoultramicrotomy. J Cell Biol. 1975 Oct;67(1):200–214. doi: 10.1083/jcb.67.1.200. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Puvion E., Moyne G. Intranuclear migration of newly synthesized extranucleolar ribonucleoproteins. A high resolution quantitative autoradiographical and cytochemical study. Exp Cell Res. 1978 Aug;115(1):79–88. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(78)90404-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Quinlan T. J., Billings P. B., Martin T. E. Nuclear ribonucleoprotein complexes containing polyadenylate from mouse ascites cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1974 Jul;71(7):2632–2636. doi: 10.1073/pnas.71.7.2632. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sekeris C. E., Niessing J. Evidence for the existence of a structural RNA component in the nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles containing heterogeneous RNA. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1975 Feb 3;62(3):642–650. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(75)90447-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Tokuyasu K. T. A technique for ultracryotomy of cell suspensions and tissues. J Cell Biol. 1973 May;57(2):551–565. doi: 10.1083/jcb.57.2.551. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Cell Biology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES