Molecular cloning of mRNA from 3T3 adipocytes. Regulation of mRNA content for glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and other differentiation-dependent proteins during adipocyte development.

We have constructed a recombinant bacterial library containing cDNA prepared from mRNA of adipose 3T3 cells. We have screened this library by several methods and isolated colonies containing sequences complementary to mRNAs for glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, two other major differentiation-dependent proteins of Mr = 28,000 and 13,000, and actin. These recombinants were identified by hybrid selection of total adipocyte mRNA, translation in vitro and subsequent immunoprecipitation, and two-dimensional electrophoresis of translated proteins. Three of the four cloned cDNAs hybridized to single adipocyte mRNA species of size close to that expected from the size of the polypeptide it specifies, but the mRNA for glycerophosphate dehydrogenase contained 3,550 bases, far larger than necessary to code for its polypeptide (Mr = 34,000). The increase in amount of mRNA during differentiation was 150-fold for the protein of Mr = 13,000 and considerably greater for glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and the protein of Mr = 28,000. The time course of mRNA accumulation was different for each of these mRNAs, indicating they do not respond synchronously during differentiation.