Studies on protein synthesis in imaginal discs of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

Comparisons have been made of protein synthesis in imaginal discs of different developmental stages using acrylamide gel electrophoresis of 3H-and 14C-labeled protein. No qualitative differences were found between middle third instar discs and late third instar discs and small differences between late third instar discs and early prepupal discs. Using actinomycin D the functional half-life of m-RNA of imaginai discs has been minimally estimated to be approximately 2 1 2 hr long. It has been proposed, on the basis of the life of m-RNA, that no large differences in the pattern of protein synthesis in late larval and prepupal discs would be expected because the existing m-RNA would buffer the system against changes.