In vitro ribosomal ribonucleoprotein transport. Temperature-induced "graded unlocking" of nuclei.

We examine the effect of temperature on the export of ribosomal precursor particles from nuclei isolated from Tetrahymena. A new phenomenon is observed. Temperature does affect not only the export rate, but also the maximal portion of particles exported. At 8 degrees C, for example, the export kinetics reveals a significantly lower saturation plateau which does not equilibrate with the higher plateau at 28 degrees C even after 3 h. This nonequilibration is not due to (i) a different physical quality of the exported particles, (ii) a degradation of the nuclear rRNA, (iii) a backward import of exported particles into nuclei, (iv) an irreversible inactivation of potentially transportable nuclear ribosomal ribonucleoprotein (rRNP) particles, or (v) a thermodynamic equilibrium between transportable rRNP particles associated with nuclei and those exported from nuclei. We conclude, therefore, that potentially transportable rRNP particles are somehow "locked" in nuclei at low temperature and temperature raising induces a "graded unlocking."