Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Eukaryotic Polyribosome Profile Analysis
09:16

Eukaryotic Polyribosome Profile Analysis

Published on: June 15, 2010

Effect of cell proliferation on levels and diversity of poly(A)-containing mRNA

M J Getz, P K Elder, E W Benz

    Cell
    |February 1, 1976
    PubMed

    Insights

    Cell proliferation increases polyribosome-associated poly(A)+ messenger RNA (mRNA) levels by enhancing production of existing mRNA species. Growing cells also show some new mRNA types, impacting cell growth dynamics.

    Area of Science:

    • Molecular Biology
    • Cell Biology
    • Genomics

    Background:

    • Cell proliferation is fundamental to development and disease.
    • Polyribosome-associated poly(A)+ messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and gene expression regulation.
    • Understanding mRNA dynamics during cell growth is key to deciphering cellular control mechanisms.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the relationship between cell proliferation and the quantity and diversity of polyribosome-associated poly(A)+ mRNA.
    • To determine how changes in mRNA populations correlate with the stimulation of cell growth in a mouse embryo cell culture system.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized a cloned AKR-mouse embryo cell culture system (AKR-2B cells).
    • Analyzed poly(A)+ mRNA content and diversity in both proliferating (growing) and non-proliferating (resting) cells.
    • Quantified unique DNA sequences contributing to mRNA populations to assess gene expression diversity.

    Main Results:

    • Stimulation of cell proliferation led to a rapid increase in polyribosomal poly(A)+ mRNA accumulation.
    • Growing cells exhibited significantly higher total poly(A)+ mRNA content compared to resting cells.
    • The diversity of transcribed genes (gene equivalents) remained largely unchanged between growing and resting cells (9000-11,000 diverse gene equivalents).
    • Over 90% of the increased mRNA in growing cells consisted of species also present in resting cells.
    • Growing cells contained some unique poly(A)+ mRNA species not detected or present at very low levels in resting cells.

    Conclusions:

    • Cell proliferation is strongly associated with an increased rate of poly(A)+ mRNA production, primarily of existing mRNA species.
    • While the overall repertoire of transcribed genes is stable, proliferating cells modulate the abundance of specific mRNA transcripts.
    • These findings highlight the dynamic regulation of mRNA metabolism as a critical component of cell proliferation control.

    More Related Videos

    Assessment of Selective mRNA Translation in Mammalian Cells by Polysome Profiling10:00

    Assessment of Selective mRNA Translation in Mammalian Cells by Polysome Profiling

    Published on: October 28, 2014

    Polysome Profiling without Gradient Makers or Fractionation Systems05:56

    Polysome Profiling without Gradient Makers or Fractionation Systems

    Published on: June 1, 2021

    Related Concept Videos

    RNA Stability01:53

    RNA Stability

    Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
    Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps02:24

    Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

    Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
    Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
    mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

    mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

    The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
    Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
    Abnormal Proliferation02:23

    Abnormal Proliferation

    Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
    mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

    mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

    The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
    Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
    Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps01:23

    Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

    The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...