Phosphoprotein pp135 is an essential component of the nucleolus organizer region (NOR)

The association of phosphoproteins pp135 and pp105 with distinct substructures of the nucleolus was studied by cytochemical and immunological methods at the light microscopic and electron microscopic level. Both phosphoproteins exhibited a very high affinity for silver and Giemsa staining compared to other nucleolar proteins. Immunolocalization of pp135 and pp105 during mitosis by light microscopy revealed a tight association of pp135 with the silver staining nucleolus organizer region (NOR), whereas pp105 (cross-reacting with C23) appeared to be only partially associated with the NOR, exclusively at telophase. At the immunoelectron microscopic level the distribution of pp135 and pp105 was investigated in interphase nucleoli. Phosphoprotein pp135 was located in the fibrillar shell and pp105 in the fibrillar shell and the granular zone. The fibrillar centers were essentially free of both phosphoproteins..     

Simultaneous immunoelectron microscopic visualization of protein B23 and C23 distribution in the HeLa cell nucleolus

The intranucleolar distribution of phosphoproteins B23 and C23 was visualized simultaneously by post-embedding immunoelectron microscopy in HeLa cell nucleoli, using specific antibodies. The data show that proteins B23 and C23 co-localize to the same nucleolar compartments, i.e., the dense fibrillar component and the granular component. Neither of the two antibodies is significantly associated with the fibrillar centers in these cells, although the fibrillar centers appear positive after silver staining. These findings suggest that other unidentified components must be responsible for the silver staining observed in the fibrillar centers of interphase nucleoli. The results are discussed in the light of previously reported data obtained by preembedding immunolabeling techniques and by silver staining, which both suggested a localization of protein C23 inside the fibrillar centers.     

Further evidence that phosphoprotein C23 (110 kD/pI 5.1) is the nucleolar silver staining protein

Previously we demonstrated a similar distribution between nucleolar organizing region-(NOR)-specific silver staining and localization of nucleolar phosphoprotein C23 (MW 110 kD/pI 5.1) [1, 2]. We now report that under fixation conditions which allow for antibody binding and subsequent silver staining, monoclonal antibody against protein C23 blocks NOR silver staining as well as silver staining in interphase nucleoli. Monoclonal antibody against nucleolar phosphoprotein B23 (MW 37 kD/pI 5.1) did not block silver staining in either NORs or interphase nucleoli. These, along with earlier observations, provide evidence that nucleolar phosphoprotein C23 is the major silver staining protein of the nucleolus and that it is directly or indirectly associated with rDNA.     

Nucleolar distribution of proteins B23 and nucleolin in mouse preimplantation embryos as visualized by immunoelectron microscopy

The ultrastructural distribution of proteins B23 and nucleolin in the nucleolus of mouse embryos from the zygote to the early blastocyst has been analyzed by means of specific antibodies and immunocytochemistry using colloidal gold complexes as markers. In parallel, silver staining of nucleoli was carried out on ultrathin sections. Our results show that the compact prenucleolar bodies at 1- and 2-cell stage as well as the compact residual fibrillar masses observed up to the morula stage, are labelled with the two antibodies. These masses, however, are not stained with silver up to the 4-cell stage. In well-developed nucleoli, the two antibodies co-localize in the dense fibrillar component (DFC) and the granular component (GC) while fibrillar centers (FCs) are devoid of label. On the contrary, silver staining occurs in the FCs and DFC but not in the GC. Our observations suggest that there is no direct relationship between the occurrence of silver staining and the distribution of protein B23 or nucleolin. Moreover, neither the localization of the two above proteins nor silver staining are unequivocally related to the nucleolar activity.     

Distribution of nucleolar proteins B23 and nucleolin during mouse spermatogenesis

The intracellular distribution of nucleolar phosphoproteins B23 and nucleolin was studied during mouse spermatogenesis, a process that is characterized by a progressive reduction of nucleolar activity. Biochemical analyses of isolated germ cell fractions were performed in parallel with the in situ ultrastructural immunolocalization of these two proteins by means of specific antibodies and colloidal gold markers, and by silver staining. RNA blot experiments showed that mRNA for nucleolin progressively decreased during spermatogenesis whereas mRNA for B23 increased in amount during early spermatogenic stages. Immunoblotting confirmed that both proteins were present during early spermatogenesis up to the round spermatid stage and absent from mature sperm. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that in spermatogonia, leptotene and pachtyene spermatocytes, and in Golgi phase spermatids, B23 and nucleolin were localized in the dense fibrillar component and granular component of the nucleolus but not in the fibrillar centers. In the dense fibrillar residue of the cap phase spermatids, labeling with anti-nucleolin but not with anti-B23 was observed. During nucleolar inactivation, neither of the two polypeptides was dispersed to the nucleoplasm. Silver salts stained the fibrillar centers and dense fibrillar component but not the granular component of the nucleolus. Our results suggest that there is no direct relationship between nucleolar activity and the occurrence of B23 and nucleolin or silver staining. Moreover, we confirm that silver staining and the presence of B23 or nucleolin are not directly related to each other.by M. Trendelenburg     

Silver staining,immunofluorescence, and immunoelectron microscopic localization of nucleolar phosphoproteins B23 and C23

Nucleolar organizer region (NOR)-specific silver staining and immunolocalization of nucleolar phosphoproteins B23 and C23 were compared in Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells. Silver staining and protein C23 immunostaining were both localized in the fibrillar shell surrounding the fibrillar center and in the fibrillar center. During mitosis, silver staining and protein C23 were localized at the NORs. Therefore, protein C23 and the silver-staining protein both seem to be associated with rDNA-containing structures (Mirre and Stahl 1981). A comparison of toluidine blue staining specific for RNA and B23 immunostaining demonstrated that protein B23 was associated with RNA-containing regions of the nucleolus and was absent from the fibrillar centers. Localization of these proteins and their functions are discussed in relation to the organization of the nucleolus.     

Procedures for specific detection of silver-stained nucleolar proteins on western blots.

Nucleolar organizer region (NOR)-silver staining of the chromosomes and nucleoli is a method that enables the detection of proteins associated with the ribosomal genes. We adapted the most commonly used cytochemical NOR-silver staining techniques to Western-blotted proteins of HeLa cells, mimicking the silver staining of cells in situ, and testing several parameters that may influence the in situ reaction. Two of these techniques, both one-step methods with colloidal developers, were standardized to obtain reproducible results. The specificity of NOR staining is documented by: (a) only a few bands are revealed among the many proteins detected by total proteins staining on gels or blots; two major groups of bands are found around 100 KD and 40 KD that could correspond at least in part to nucleolin and B23 nucleolar proteins; (b) the silver staining of bands was not the result of the high relative protein concentrations; and (c) the same number of NOR-silver-stained bands was observed across a large range of protein concentrations. The reaction appeared to be specific for a subset of nucleolar proteins, because the same bands were observed with the use of nucleolar, nuclear, or total cell protein extracts, and the silver grains observed in electron microscopy were clearly confined to the nucleolar fibrillar centers and dense fibrillar component. The efficiency of the reaction was not modified by any of the tested fixative pre-treatments except that involving methanol. The presented standardization of NOR-silver staining on Western blots allows the characterization of the Ag-NOR proteins and their specific regions responsible for silver staining of the nucleolus.     

Immunofluorescence studies on proteins B23 and C23 in nucleoli of human lymphocytes

Nucleoli of normal and leukemic lymphocytes were studied by cytochemical and immunofluorescence methods to provide more information on the nucleolar presence and distribution of proteins B23 and C23. Annular nucleoli of human lymphocytes represent a very convenient subject for such studies, since they consist of one centrally located large fibrillar center surrounded by RNP components. In such nucleoli, protein C23 was present mainly in the central nucleolar region and protein B23 was found mostly in the periphery. The nucleolar area immunostained for protein B23 was usually larger than that stained for protein C23. The distribution of protein C23 appeared to be similar to that of intensely stained nucleolar argyrophilic components. No substantial differences were found between the distribution of proteins B23 and C23 in nucleoli of normal and leukemic lymphocytes. In lymphocytes of patients treated with chemotherapy, the immunofluorescence was diminished for protein B23 and particularly so for protein C23.     

Proteins C23 and B23 are the major nucleolar silver staining proteins.

To examine the silver staining proteins of Novikoff hepatoma nucleoli, the nucleolar proteins were separated on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels with an isoelectric focusing first dimension and an acid-urea gel second dimension. The nucleoli were sequentially extracted with (1) 0.6 M potassium acetate, pH 5.5 and (2) 2 M potassium acetate — 5 M urea — 10 mM Tris, pH 7.5. The silver staining method used for the detection of silver binding proteins in gels was similar to that used to stain the nucleolar granules on microscope slides. Two major silver staining proteins were found which were identified as (molecular weight × 10^?3/pI) proteins C23 (100/5.3) and B23 (37/5.1). These two proteins are the major acidic proteins in Novikoff hepatoma nucleoli.     

扁蓿豆冷诱导基因差异表达分析

以直立型扁蓿豆幼苗为试验材料,采用cDNA-AFLP技术分析扁蓿豆在低温胁迫诱导下的基因表达差异.结果显示,利用筛选的64对引物组合,对0℃低温处理3～5叶期扁蓿豆幼苗的叶片cDNA进行扩增,共获得549条差异表达的转录衍生片段(TDFs).选取上调表达较好的43条片段进行克隆、测序、Blastx比对和功能分析,其中32个TDFs的蛋白序列与基础代谢、信号转导、转录因子、防御等功能有关,11个TDFs为假设蛋白、未知蛋白或没有找到一致序列.利用荧光定量PCR对3种不同上调表达差异片段进行验证,结果可从数值上更准确地显示差异片段在低温胁迫过程中的相对表达量.     

Nucleolar organizers and fibrillar centres in Triticum aestivum L., cv. Chinese spring

Serial sectioning of wheat roots prepared for electron microscopy was used to count the number of fibrillar centres per nucleus and nucleolus and to calculate their sizes. After growth at 35 ° C for two days the nucleoli became segregated and a one to one relationship was evident between chromosomal nucleolar organizers and fibrillar centres. This was confirmed using an aneuploid line carrying an additional pair of organizers. Quantitative studies showed that the fibrillar centres occupied a volume 0.24% of the total chromatin reticulum. From this it was calculated that only about 1/3 of the fibrillar centre material was likely to be nucleolar organizer chromatin. The other material was considered to be the protein revealed in silver staining studies. The importance of this was shown by its constant ratio to the size of all nucleoli in a given nucleus. — Evidence was found for the movement and fusion of organizer flanking regions during growth at 35 ° C. The number of junctions between chromatin and nucleolar organizers drops by about half giving one per organizer after segregation, and serial sectioning demonstrated such junctions in close proximity, an arrangement suggestive of incipient fusion.     

低氧对小麦根端分生细胞核仁结构和功能的影响

为了探讨低氧对小麦根端分生细胞核仁结构和功能的影响,本实验以普通小麦为材料,用低氧水处理其根尖,按常规细胞制片、银染、电镜观察、间接免疫荧光染色和半定量PCR分析等手段开展研究.观察发现:(1)低氧水处理后小麦核仁结构发生膨胀、突出、进而凝集、内部出现空泡、细微结构消失、核仁通道结构异常、甚至解体等一系列变异现象.(2)间接免疫荧光染色技术观察看到,低氧水处理后小麦核仁内的核磷蛋白B23向核质甚至胞质扩散.(3)半定量PCR分析显示,低氧处理后rRNA基因的表达量较对照明显降低,而且C23的表达信号几乎检测不到,表明核糖体RNA和核仁蛋白C23基因的表达均显著下调,低氧严重抑制它们的转录.研究证明,低氧除了对小麦根端分生细胞核仁结构有破坏作用外,还严重抑制核仁的功能.     

Electron-microscopic study of silver staining of nucleoli in growing oocytes of rat ovaries

The nucleoli of dictyate-stage growing oocytes in rat ovaries were examined both with routine electron microscopy and electron microscopy after silver nitrate and ammoniacal silver nitrate (Ag-AS) staining. The nucleoli of the unilaminar follicular oocytes consist of twisted strands of dense fibrillar components, aggregates of granular components, and small fibrillar centers. After Ag-AS staining, silver grains are numerous on the dense fibrillar strands, fewer on the fibrillar centers, and very sporadic on the granular aggregates. The same stainability of three nucleolar components with the Ag-AS method was also confirmed in the nucleoli segregated by actinomycin D. During the transition of growing oocytes from bilaminar to plurilaminar follicle stage, the nucleolar dense fibrillar strands gradually conglomerate and are transformed into large and compact spherules. The stainability of dense fibrillar components with the Ag-AS method was lost along with this nucleolar transformation. These results may provide some new clues on the functional significance of Ag-AS-positive proteins in the nucleoli.     

Fibrillarin: a new protein of the nucleolus identified by autoimmune sera

Autoimmune serum from a patient with scleroderma was shown by indirect immunofluorescence to label nucleoli in a variety of cells tested including: rat kangaroo PtK2, Xenopus A6, 3T3, HeLa, and human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Immunoblot analysis of nucleolar proteins with the scleroderma antibody resulted in the labeling of a single protein band of 34 kD molecular weight with a pI of 8.5. Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry demonstrated that the protein recognized by the scleroderma antiserum was localized exclusively in the fibrillar region of the nucleolus which included both dense fibrillar and fibrillar center regions. Therefore, we have named this protein "fibrillarin". Fibrillarin was found on putative chromosomal nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in metaphase and anaphase, and during telophase fibrillarin was found to be an early marker for the site of formation of the newly forming nucleolus. Double label indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy on normal, actinomycin D-segregated, and DRB-treated nucleoli showed that fibrillarin and nucleolar protein B23 were predominantly localized to the fibrillar and granular regions of the nucleolus, respectively. RNase A and DNase I digestion of cells in situ demonstrated that fibrillarin was partially removed by RNase and completely removed by DNase. These results suggest that fibrillarin is a widely occurring basic nonhistone nucleolar protein whose location and nuclease sensitivity may indicate some structural and/or functional role in the rDNA-containing dense fibrillar and fibrillar center regions of the nucleolus.     

Double immunolocalization of major nucleolar proteins, fibrillarin and B23, in dividing mammalian cultured cells.

Using specific autoimmune sera to the nucleolar protein fibrillarin and monoclonal antibodies to B23/nucleophosmin, we localized early and late nucleolar rRNA-processing factors in cycling human HeLa and pig PK cells. It was shown that, at the electron microscopic level, fibrillarin was located over the nucleolar fibrillar compartment, but was absent in the fibrillar centres. During mitosis, fibrillarin was located within the same domains as B23, namely, the cytoplasm, the perichromosomal layer, prenucleolar bodies, and the nucleolar cytoplasmic derivatives, but the kinetics of the two proteins during mitosis was essentially different. Thus, fibrillarin dissociated from the nucleolar remnant at prophase of mitosis or following actinomycin D treatments after B23, but was found to be more prominent within the perichromosomal layer at metaphase, and earlier migrated to the reassembled nucleoli at telophase. In contrast to B23, fibrillarin was found to be resistant to the treatment with 2 M NaCl.     

Bismuth staining of a nucleolar protein

A major nucleolar protein in Chinese hamster ovary cells with a molecular weight (MW) of 100 kD has been found to stain selectively with the bismuth tartrate technique of Locke & Huie [19]. After glutaraldehyde fixation and bismuth staining of electrophoretic transfers of total nucleolar proteins separated by SDS-PAGE, a single band corresponding to the 100 kD protein is revealed. When the technique is applied to whole cells, small punctate regions of the nucleoli are strongly stained. At the ultrastructural level, bismuth selectively contrasts the fibrillar centers and the adjoining cords of the dense fibrillar component. The remainder of the dense fibrillar component is not stained. It is proposed that the high phosphorylation level of the 100 kD protein is responsible for its glutaraldehyde-insensitive bismuth staining. The concentration of this protein in certain localized regions of the nucleolus suggests that it plays a metabolic rather than a structural role.     

Ultrastructural localization of Ag-NOR stained proteins in the nucleolus during the cell cycle and in other nucleolar structures

EM investigation of Ag-AS-NOR staining after short glutaraldehyde prefixation followed by Carnoy fixation maintained good ultrastructural preservation and reactive selectivity. This enables exact localization of silver deposits both in the fibrillar centers of typical or segregated nucleoli during interphase, and in chromosome NORs during mitosis. These results argue in favour of the possibility that fibrillar centers are the interphasic counterpart of chromosome NORs. Special structures such as nucleolar blobs and remnants usually considered to be of nucleolar origin, were also stained. — These findings seem to indicate a relationship between the distribution of the silver-stained proteins, the arrangement of the nucleolar structures and the degree of nucleolar activity resulting from the experimental conditions. These results are of interest at the time when the concept of the nucleolar matrix is gradually emerging.