[Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes: effect of stressors on mRNA stability in vitro]

The effect of field drought on gene expression in developing Zea mays L. grain and the influence of the imbalance of essential amino acids on the expression of genes in white-rat liver at the mRNA stability level were studied. A special ommp system, which included incubation (65 degrees C, 5 min) of an aqueous preparation of highly purified, high molecular-weight RNA isolated in the presence of Mg2+, was used for the analysis of mRNAs relative stability in eukaryotes. Drought changed the relative stability of seven specific mRNA in the maize developing grain: there occurred a considerable stabilization of the eEF-1 alpha mRNA and, conversely, a destabilization of the 19-kDa zein mRNA. The imbalance for lysine and tryptophan reduced the stability of the total polyadenylated mRNA and the eEF-1 alpha mRNA of rat liver. The mRNA stability positively correlated with animal growth. Thus, using the ommp system, the effect of stressful factors on the stability of specific mRNA in eukaryotes--depending on mRNA species, stressful factors, and the tissue--was shown.