Programmed synthesis of flagellar tubulin during cell differentiation in Naegleria.

Amebae of Naegleria gruberi differentiate into flagellates when transferred from growth medium to non-nutrient buffer. This differentiation, which requires 48 min at 28 degrees C, is dependent on transcription and translation. Tubulin of the flagellar outer doublets comprises about 0.15% of the protein of flagellate, and only about 1-2% of the total tubulin. An antiserum to flagellar (outer-doublet) tubulin contains antibodies that react selectively with flagellar tubulin. Measurements using this antiserum have shown that 97-98% of the flagellar tubulin antigen appears during differentiation. The appearance of tubulin antigen is sensitive to actinomycin D and cycloheximide. Isotope dilution experiments using [35S]methione demonstrated that at least 70% of the flagellar tubulin is synthesized from amino acids during differentiation. Experiments using both the specific antiserum and isotopes have shown that flagellar tubulin synthesis begins about one-third of the way through differentiation, before any morphological change has occurred. These experiments demonstrate that most, if not all, of the flagellar tubulin is synthesized de novo during differentiation, and that cells selectively use a specific subpopulation of tubulin in assembling the outer doub)lets. The results bring into focus major unsolved questions about the synthesis and assembly of flagellar tubulin.