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Transferring Drosophila tissue culture cells from 25 to 37 degrees C (heat shock) causes histone protein synthesis to become noncoordinate. To determine the level at which this is controlled, the synthesis, degradation, and translation of individual histone mRNAs was studied under both heat shock and control conditions. The increased synthesis of histone H2b protein during heat shock appears to be controlled primarily at the level of translation. During heat shock, H2b mRNA is transcribed at about the same level as in the control. However, H2b mRNA is more stable under heat shock than under control conditions and is predominantly found in polysomes. The reduction in synthesis of H2a, H3, and H4 protein during heat shock appears to be controlled at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Although transcription of H2a, H3, and H4 mRNAs is reduced during heat shock, like H2b mRNA, they are more stable. However, unlike H2b mRNA, these mRNAs are not predominantly associated with polysomes during heat shock. Regulation of H1 synthesis during heat shock is completely different from that of the other histones. During heat shock, H1 mRNA is not transcribed, and unlike all of the other Drosophila mRNAs studied to date, its mRNA is not stable in heat-shocked cells. Results from in vitro translation studies support the conclusion that noncoordinate synthesis of the core histone proteins during heat shock is controlled at the level of translation.

Antibodies against human c-myc protein have been reported to inhibit DNA polymerase activity and endogenous DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei, suggesting a role for c-myc in DNA replication. Using the same antibody preparations, we observed equivalent inhibition of simian virus 40 DNA replication and DNA polymerase alpha and delta activities in vitro, as well as inhibition of DNA synthesis in isolated nuclei. However, the c-myc antibodies could be completely separated from the DNA synthesis inhibition activity. c-myc antibodies prepared in other laboratories also did not interfere with initiation of simian virus 40 DNA replication, DNA synthesis at replication forks, or DNA polymerase alpha or delta activity. Therefore, the previously reported inhibition of DNA synthesis by some antibody preparations resulted from the presence of an unidentified inhibitor of DNA polymerases alpha and delta and not from the action of c-myc antibodies.

A cDNA fragment coding for human c-myc was inserted into the genome of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus adjacent to the strong polyhedrin promoter. Insect cells infected with the recombinant virus produced significant amounts of c-myc protein, which constituted the major phosphoprotein component in these cells. By immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analysis, two proteins of 61 and 64 kilodaltons were detected with c-myc-specific antisera. The insect-derived proteins were compared with recombinant human c-myc-encoded proteins synthesized in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The c-myc gene product was found predominantly in the nucleus by subcellular fractionation of infected insect cells.