An estimation of genetic messages in the unfertilized echinoid egg.

Abstract

Bulk RNA prepared from unfertilized echinoid eggs [Lytechlnus pictus] possesses the ability to stimulate protein synthesis in a defined cell-free amino acid incorporating system. Unfertilized egg RNA exhibits approximately 4-5% of the template activity displayed by MS-2 RNA [barteriophage RNA] and approximately 50% of that of chloramphenicol RNA. The proportion of translatable RNA found in unfertilized eggs is therefore approximately 2-fold that found in normal Escherichia coli cells growing in log phase. The increment in protein synthesis which follows fertilization is completely explainable In terms of pre-existent messages, and thus does not mandatorily require tandem transcription.