Hormonal Control of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Metabolism in Barley Aleurone Layers

Ribonucleic acid containing poly(adenylic acid) poly(A)-RNA] is present in barley aleurone layers. This poly(A)-RNA becomes labeled with radioactive precursors of RNA during the incubation of isolated aleurone layers with or without gibberellic acid. However, the rate of synthesis of poly(A)-RNA is enhanced by gibberellic acid. This enhancement begins within 3-4 hr of addition of the hormone and reaches a maximum, which is about 50-60% over the control, 10-12 hr after addition of the hormone. Cordycepin inhibits total RNA as well as poly(A)-RNA synthesis in barley aleurone layers. However, cordycepin inhibits the hormone-controlled synthesis of alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) only if it is added 12 hr or less after gibberellic acid. The insensitivity of alpha-amylase production to cordycepin after 12 hr of gibberellic acid treatment suggests that alpha-amylase is translated from stable messenger RNA.