Analysis of drosophila mRNA by in situ hybridization: sequences transcribed in normal and heat shocked cultured cells.

Messenger RNA transcribed in cultured Drosophila cells adapted for growth under conditions permitting labeling to high specific acitivty has been analyzed by the technique of in situ hybridization. Poly(A)-containing cytoplasmic RNA binds specifically and reproducibly to about 50 bands in the salivary gland polytene chromosomes. In addition heavy labeling of the beta-heterochromatin associated with each of the chromosome arms is observed. The species which are detected probably belong to the more abundant classes of RNA. When the cultured Drosophila cells are subjected to heat shock immediately before labeling with 3H-uridine, there is a drastic alteration in the pattern of gene transcription detected by in situ hybridization. Most of the mRNA synthesis which could be detected in the normal cell is shut off. Newly synthesized RNA hybridizes strongly to seven new sites which do not bind mRNA from control cells. The new loci correspond almost exactly to the regions of Drosophila polytene chromosomes which puff when intact larvae are subjected to an identical heat treatment.