Sequence complexities of mRNA populations during adult wing development in the silkmoth Antheraea polyphemus

Abstract The total poly A + messenger RNAs of epidermal cells in the wing sac of the silkmoth Antheraea polyphemus as a function of development (which is under the influence of the moulting hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone) has been analyzed by cDNA-mRNA hybridizations. Kinetic and numerical analysis of homologous hybridizations indicate the messenger populations to be made up of several kinetic classes, the total complexity being similar at all stages of development. Heterologous hybridizations indicate clear differences between two stages: (i) at the beginning of development characterized by growth and development and (ii) at the end of development characterized by differentiation and cuticular secretion. The principal difference between the two stages has been shown, by isolation and characterization of null cDNA (cDNA enriched for the second stage) to be due to the appearance of several hundred new mRNAs belonging to the moderately abundant class at the second stage. Analysis of translation products by SDS-PAGE and immunoprecipitation confirm and extend these results.