Citrate-synthase mRNA in relation to enzyme synthesis in division-synchronized Euglena cultures

Abstract

The regulation of citrate-synthase (EC 4.1.3.7) synthesis in division-synchronized cultures of Euglena gracilis Klebs strain z was investigated. Citrate-synthase activity increased approximately two fold at the end of the light phase and in early dark phase in phototrophic cells synchronized by a 14 h light-10 h dark regime. Anti-(citrate synthase) was used to demonstrate that this increase in activity resulted from an increase in citrate-synthase protein. The amount of polyadenylated RNA per aliquot of culture increased midway through the light phase (before DNA replication) and had doubled by the end of this phase. Anti-(citrate synthase) was used to detect precursor citrate synthase in translations of total polyadenylated RNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. Citratesynthase mRNA was found to be present in cells at each stage of a division cycle, so that a stagespecific production of this mRNA to coincide with an increase in enzyme protein is unlikely. It is suggested that a post-transcriptional control operates in the regulation of citrate-synthase synthesis.