Effects of alpha-amanitin on RNA synthesis in cultured rat seminiferous tubules.

The effect of the specific RNA polymerase II inhibitor α-amanitin on the cell morphology and RNA synthesis during spermatogenesis was investigated. Light microscopic autoradiography showed that α-amanitin largely decreased the rate of RNA synthesis in the pachytene spermatocytes and in the spermatids. Degenerative changes occurred most rapidly in the mid pachytene spermatocytes and in the intermediate and type B spermatogonia. Already after 14 hr of culture with α-amanitin (10 μg/ml) a part of these cells showed progressive degenerative changes beginning with the clumping together of the chromosomes. This indicates that at least a part of the HnRNA which is synthesized in the lampbrush loops of the pachytene chromosomes is needed to maintain the normal structure and function of the pachytene spermatocytes. Biochemical evidence suggested also that the formation of HnRNA was specifically inhibited in the pachytene spermatocytes by α-amanitin.