RNA Synthesis in Whole Cells and Protoplasts of Centaurea

Protoplasts enzymically isolated from suspension cultures of Centaurea cyanus L. incorporate radioactive precursors into RNA with kinetics similar to that of whole cells. There are differences, however, in several other aspects of RNA metabolism. The proportion of total RNA that contains poly(A) sequences (25 to 30%) is similar in both freshly isolated protoplasts and whole cells after a 20-minute pulse with [(3)H]adenosine. After a 4-hour pulse, however, poly(A)-containing RNA makes up 30% of the total RNA in protoplasts whereas it drops to 8% in whole cells. There appears to be a faulty processing of ribosomal precursor into the mature ribosomal species, as the precursor seems to accumulate to higher levels relative to the mature 18S and 25S rRNAs in protoplasts as compared to whole cells. Additional differences are seen in the size distributions of poly(A)-containing RNA, although the length of the poly(A) segment is similar in both protoplasts and whole cells. Within 24 hours protoplasts appear to have resumed a pattern of RNA synthesis similar to that of whole cells.