FINE STRUCTURE OF NUCLEOLI AND RNA-CONTAINING CHROMOSOME REGIONS OF SALIVARY GLAND CHROMOSOMES OF CHIRONOMIDS AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIP

Abstract

Electron microscope studies of salivary gland nuclei of four chironomid species have shown that the RNA-containing chromosome regions and associated structures, which by light microscopy exhibit a great variety of structures such as bands, granules, micronucleoli, nucleoli, puffs, and Balbiani rings, consist of only few basic units: pars amorpha, nucleolonema, and Balbiani ring granules. The fine structure of the nucleoli and spherical micronucleoli located at various chromosome regions appears to be identical, consisting of pars amorpha, which contains fibers of varying diameters, and strands of nucleolonema composed of fibers and ribosome-like granules. The arrangement of pars amorpha and nucleolonema of nucleoli and spherical micronucleoli follows a consistent pattern. Chromosome fibers are closely associated with pars amorpha, whereas strands of nucleolonema border only the surfaces of pars amorpha. Balbiani ring granules, which have a diameter of 300 Å to 500 Å and are characterized by a particular structure, accumulate in Balbiani rings, in many chromosome regions, and in nuclear sap. In the Balbiani ring these granules seem to be attached to 100 Å chromosome fibers. They are absent in nucleoli and micronucleoli. The possible correlation between our electron microscopic observations and the present-day concept of ribosomal and messenger RNA production is discussed.