The Effect of Ribonuclease on Protein Synthesis in Nucleated and Enucleated Fragments of Acetabularia

Abstract

Nucleate and enucleate fragments of the unicellular alga Acetabularla, when treated with ribonuclease, show a total stoppage of growth, protein synthesis and differentiation. While nucleated fragments recover their capacity for these processes when returned to normal medium, the enucleated fragments do not. It is suggested that the nuclear product which effects the recovery is RNA.