Gene activation in eukaryotes: are nuclear acidic proteins the cause or the effect?

Nuclear acidic proteins have been implicated in the positive control of gene transcription in eukaryotes. This hypothesis was examined in greater detail by analysis of these proteins during experimental gene activation by a technique for fractionating nuclei into chromatin and the ribonucleoprotein particles that contain heterogeneous nuclear RNA. When synthesis of rat-liver heterogeneous nuclear RNA was stimulated by administration of hydrocortisone, there was a parallel increase in the labeling of acidic proteins in ribonucleoprotein particles. However, there was no detectable effect on the labeling of either acidic chromatin proteins or histones. Thus, the nuclear acidic proteins that respond to the hormone are concerned with a post-transcriptional event, namely the assembly and processing of ribonucleoprotein particles that contain heterogeneous RNA, rather than with direct gene activation. Increases in synthesis of "chromatin" acidic proteins during gene activation observed by others may reflect the presence of these ribonucleoprotein particles in crude chromatin preparations.