NUCLEIC ACIDS AND PROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS IN RABBIT BONE MARROW CELLS

Abstract

DNA, RNA and protein are actively synthesized in bone marrow hematopoietic cells. The experiments of RNA synthesis with ³H-uridine and ³²P orthophosphate suggested that RNA was mainly synthesized through salvage pathway of nucleotides in bone marrow cells.
In granulocytic cells, ³H-uridine was utilized more effectively for RNA synthesis than in erythroid cells. This result was explained by higher uridine kinase activity or lower UDP reductase activity in granulocytic cells.
The half life of m-RNA in granulocytic cells was about four hours, while the turnover of m-RNA in erythroid cells was thought to be very slow.