Differential activation of myotube nuclei following exposure to an acetylcholine receptor-inducing factor

A glycoprotein purified from chick brain, of relative molecular mass 42,000, increases the rate of appearance of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) on the surface of chick myotubes. RNase protection assays have shown that this AChR-inducing activity (ARIA) increases the amount of mRNA encoding the alpha-subunit of the AChR, with little or no effect on the amounts of gamma- and delta-mRNAs2. Here, we report that the mRNAs encoding the alpha- and gamma-subunits of the receptor detected by in situ hybridization are concentrated around nuclei in cultured myotubes. Consistent with previous results, ARIA selectively increased the amount of alpha-subunit mRNA, but we now find that all nuclei were not activated to the same extent, with a substantial number not responding at all. Assuming that ARIA is released by motor nerve terminals, our results indicate that only a subset of muscle nuclei are capable of contributing to the accumulation of AChRs at developing neuromuscular junctions.