Myosin heavy chain messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (MHC mRNPs) have been isolated. Characterization of the RNA components revealed an mRNA of approximately the same size as tobacco mosaic virus RNA and three low molecular weight components. The protein consists of 9-10 major bands ranging in molecular weight between 22,000 and 130,000. The messenger contained in these mRNPs was found to direct the synthesis ofboth fast-muscle and slow-muscle MHC in a cell-free system. When MHC [3H]mRNPs were encapsulated into liposomes and subsequently delivered to myoblasts and myotubes, the mRNPs were taken up by the cells at both stages ofdifferentiation. However, the MHC [3H]mRNPs taken up by the myoblasts remained as free cytoplasmic particles (80-120S), whereas in myotubes the incorporated mRNP RNA was associated with polysomes. The results indicate that MHC mRNPs contain a repressor molecule(s) and that myotubes possess a mechanism for activating these mRNPs that is absent from myoblasts.The importance of both transcriptional and posttranscriptional controls on gene expression in eukaryotes is well established (1, 2). The existence of posttranscriptional controls has been demonstrated at mRNA processing, differential utilization of mRNA, and mRNA half life (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). In addition, cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) have been found to be present in a large variety of cell types (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).Several studies have demonstrated that cytoplasmic mRNPs can be translated in heterologous cell-free systems (15)(16)(17) (14,23).In this report, MHC mRNP is isolated under conditions that favor the retention of its native properties. This mRNP is subsequently inserted into muscle cells by utilizing liposomes, to study its function in developing muscle. Large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) were formed to encapsulate and deliver MHC mRNPs into cells. LUV-encapsulated MHC mRNPs are incorporated by both myoblasts and myotubes; however, they are differentially utilized at these two stages of muscle cell development.
MATERIALS AND METHODSMyoblasts were obtained from 12-day chicken embryonic breast muscle as described (24). Muscle cells were plated in 100-mm culture dishes at an initial density of 6 x 106 cells per dish. Cultures were incubated as described (22). Fresh medium was added to the cultures 24 hr after plating and again 2 hr prior to the addition of liposomes. DNA was determined by the procedure of Kissane and.Robins (25).Muscle cell cultures were labeled by the addition of 40 ,uCi(1 Ci = 3.7 x 1010 becquerels) of [3H]uridine 10 hr prior to harvesting. The cells were collected at 42 hr, when 30-40% of the cells were fused. Cells were lysed in buffer containing cycloheximide as described (23). The muscle cell lysate was layered on 11-ml 10-40% sucrose density gradients and centrifuged at 40,000 rpm in an IEC SB 283 rotor for 60 min. The fraction sedimenting at 80-120S was collected and pelleted by centrifugation at 200,000 X g for 3 hr. The mRNP-ribosome pellets were resuspe...