Characterization of the ribonucleic acid synthesized by isolated rat-liver nuclei

Abstract

Isolated rat-liver nuclei incorporated [C14]UMP into RNA when incubated in the presence of Mg2+ and all four ribonucleoside triphosphates. The addition of bentonite to the system diminished the breakdown of the newly synthesized RNA. AMP and CMP were incorporated in the absence of the other added triphosphates, and in the presence of deoxyribonuclease. RNA synthesized in the presence of Mg2+ contained a high proportion of CMP and GMP, and sedimented in the regions of ribosomal RNA and of heavier molecules. About 1% of this RNA hybridized with homologous DNA, and hybrid formation was more effectively inhibited by nuclear RNA than by ribosomal RNA. RNA synthesized in the presence of Mn2+ plus ammonium sulphate had a composition intermediate between that of ribosomal RNA and of DNA, and about 4% of this RNA formed hybrids with DNA. Less than 2% of the newly synthesized RNA was capable of forming ribonuclease- and deoxyribonuclease-resistant complexes. It was concluded that the newly synthesized RNA arose as a result of an asymmetric process and included both ribosomal and DNA-like species.