Synthetic RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity in normal rat liver and hepatomas

Normal adult rat liver contains a high level of a synthetic RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity, which is distinct from cellular DNA-dependent polymerases. It uses poly(dT).poly(rA) and poly(rA).poly(rU) as templates but has little or no response to DNA or several single-stranded RNAs.

Coding and conformational properties of oligonucleotides modified with the carcinogen N-2-acetylaminofluorene

The present studies were undertaken to determine the mechanism by which attachment of the carcinogen N-2-acetylaminofluorene to guanosine residues in nucleic acids distors their structure and function. Oligonucleotides were modified with N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, repurified, and their base compositions analyzed. Evidence is presented that acetylaminofluorene residues bound to guanosines in GpUpU, ApApG, or poly (U,G) inactivates their function in codon recognition. Circular dichroism spectra suggest that this is caused by gross conformational changes in these compounds involving both a rotation about the glycosidic bond of guanosine residues bearing N-2-acetylaminofluorene, as well as stacking interactions between the drug and bases adjacent to the substituted guanosine.

Codon recognition by enzymatically mischarged valine transfer ribonucleic acid

Direct evidence for the adaptor hypothesis has been obtained by examining the codon recognition of a purified Escherichia coli valine transfer ribonucleic acid which was enzymatically mischarged with phenylalanine labeled with carbn-14 by reaction with purified phenylalanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase from Neurospora crassa. The mischarged transfer ribonucleic acid recognized the valine codons but failed to recognize the phenylalanine codon when tested in trinucleotide-directed ribosomal binding assay.

Differences in the transfer RNA's of normal liver and Novikoff hepatoma

-A comparison of the elution profiles of 18 aminoacyl-tRNA's from Novikoff hepatoma with those from normal liver on a methylated albuminkieselguhr column revealed the occurrence of new species of tRNA for histidine, tyrosine, and asparagine in the hepatoma. In addition, the hepatoma tRNA's for arginine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, serine, alanine, and tryptophan eluted at a higher salt concentration than the corresponding tRNA's of normal liver. The remaining eight amino acids did not show any significant differences in the elution profiles.

Stability of ribosomes and ribosomal ribonucleic acid from Bacillus stearothermophilus

After heating at 65 C, ribosomes isolated from Bacillus stearothermophilus were strikingly more heat-stable than comparable preparations from Escherichia coli when tested for ability to support polyuridylic acid-directed phenylalanine incorporation at 37 C. The stability of ribosomes was also determined by measurements of hyperchromicity at 259 mmu while heating them from 25 to 90 C. In standard buffer containing 0.01 m Mg(++), the T(m) (temperature at the midpoint of total hyperchromicity) of E. coli and B. stearothermophilus ribosomes was 71 and 81 C, respectively. In a magnesium-free buffer, the T(m) of E. coli and B. stearothermophilus ribosomes was 44 and 64 C, respectively. Putrescine (0.01 m) was more effective in stabilizing ribosomes from B. stearothermophilus than those from E. coli. Spermidine (0.001 m), on the other hand, was more effective in stabilizing ribosomes from E. coli than those from B. stearothermophilus. Melting curves of total ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) from E. coli and B. stearothermophilus revealed T(m) values of 50 and 60 C, respectively. Putrescine stabilized thermophile rRNA, but had no effect on E. coli rRNA. Sucrose density gradients demonstrated that thermophile 23S ribonucleic acid was degraded during storage at -20 C; the 23S component from E. coli was stable under these conditions. The results are discussed in terms of the mechanism of ribosome heat stability and the role of the ribosome in governing the temperature limits for bacterial growth.

The Influence of Phenothiazine and Some of its Derivatives on the Determination of 5-Hydroxyincioleacetic Acid in Urine

The experimental work in this paper demonstrates that derivatives of phenothiazine interfere with the chemical determination of 5-HIAA. This holds true when attempts are made to determine 5-HIAA in the presence of Compazine, Sparine, Phenergan or chlorpromazine, and in the case of the latter substance also when administered to a patient. Thus, it is impossible by the chemical method to determine 5-HIAA in the urine under these circumstances, and results so obtained will be incorrect. However, with the chromatographic method of Curzon (7) no such interference occurs, and, utilizing this technic, it is possible to determine 5-HIAA in the urine of a patient while he is receiving chlorpromazine. In this manner it was shown that the urinary excretion of 5-HIAA in a patient with metastatic carcinoid was not influenced by the administration of chlorpromazine. (See ADDENDUM, p. 76.)