Altered labelling of the cell surface and intracellular organelles with [3H]mannose in enucleated amoebae.

The production, transport, and disposition of material labelled with [3H]mannose were studied in microsurgically enucleated and control amoebae. Cells were injected with the precursor and samples were prepared for electron-microscope radioautography at intervals, up to 24 h later. Control cells showed heavy labelling of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus at early intervals after injection. Later, labelling of groups of small vesicles increased, and the percentage of grains over the cell surface peaked 12 h after administration of the precursor. Two major changes were detected in enucleate amoebae. First, the kinetics of labelling of cell organelles with [3H]mannose were altered in the absence of the nucleus. The Golgi apparatus and cell surface both displayed maximal labelling at later intervals in enucleates, and the percentage of grains over the rough endoplasmic reticulum varied less with time in enucleated than in control cells. Second, the distribution of radioactivity was altered. A greater percentage of grains was associated with lysosomes in enucleates than in control cells. The change in the kinetics of labelling of the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and cell surface indicates that intracellular transport of surface material was slower in the absence of the nucleus. It is suggested that this is related to the decreased motility of enucleate cells.