Intracellular distribution of low molecular weight RNA in Chironomus tentans

Low molecular weight RNA species are described in isolated nuclear components and cytoplasm of salivary gland cells of Chironomus tentans. In addition to 4S and 5S RNA and RNA in the 4-5S range previously described, at least three other components in the range below 16S are present. RNA, the molecular weight of which was estimated to 2.3 x 10(5) and designed 10S RNA, can be observed only in nucleoli; other RNA, the molecular weight of which was estimated to 1.3 x 10(5) and designed 8S RNA, was detected in the chromosomes, the nuclear sap, and the cytoplasm but not in the nucleoli; and a third type of RNA, the molecular weight of which was estimated to 8.5 x 10(4) and designed 7S RNA, was present in nucleoli, chromosomes, nuclear sap, and cytoplasm. The substituted benzimidazole, 5,6-dichloro-1 (beta-D-ribofuranosyl)benzimidazole (DRB), which gives a differential inhibition of the labeling of heterodisperse, mainly high molecular weight RNA in the chromosomes, does not inhibit the labeling of 8S RNA. The relative amounts of label in 8S RNA and 4-5S RNA (including 4S RNA and 5S RNA) in different isolated chromosomes, are distributed in proportion to the chromosomal DNA contents. The 8S RNA as well as the 7S RNA show a relative accumulation in chromosomes and nuclear sap with prolonged incubation time and are in this respect similar to intranuclear low molecular weight RNA species described by previous workers. Our data suggest, however, that these two types of RNA may differ in an important aspect from the previously described types since they are also present in the cytoplasm.