Heat shock causes a decrease in polysomes and the appearance of stress granules in trypanosomes independently of eIF2(alpha) phosphorylation at Thr169.

ABSTRACT: In trypanosomes there is an almost total reliance on post-transcriptional mechanisms to alter gene expression; here, heat shock was used to investigate the response to an environmental signal. Heat shock rapidly and reversibly induced a decrease in polysome abundance, and the consequent changes in mRNA metabolism were studied. Both heat shock and polysome dissociation were necessary for (1) a reduction in mRNA levels that was more rapid than normal turnover, (2) an increased number of P-body-like granules that contained DHH1, SCD6 and XRNA, (3) the formation of stress granules that remained largely separate from the P-body-like granules and localise to the periphery of the cell and, (4) an increase in the size of a novel focus located at the posterior pole of the cell that contain XRNA, bu

SUBMITTER: Kramer S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2871294 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature