Abstract
A SINGLE in vivo administration of 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) into rats increases the activity of a number of liver microsomal enzyme systems1–4, and the in vitro rate of microsomal amino-acid incorporation into protein when either free or soluble RNA bound amino-acids are used as precursors4,5. The stimulatory effect of MC on the microsomal enzymes, benzpyrene hydroxylase6 and amino-azo dye demethylase7 is prevented by puromycin, an inhibitor of protein synthesis at the microsomal level. These findings suggest that the MC-induced changes in enzyme activity are due to enzyme synthesis. The in vivo administration of actinomycin D, an inhibitor of DNA directed RNA synthesis8, prevents the MC-stimulation of microsomal amino-acid incorporation and inhibits the MC-induced increases in benzpyrene hydroxylase activity9. These results indicate that the MC-induced changes in both amino-acid incorporation and benzpyrene hydroxylase activity are dependent on DNA directed RNA synthesis. Since ‘messenger RNA’ is synthesized by a DNA directed polymerase, these results suggested the possibility that MC may induce alterations in the production of ‘messenger RNA’.
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LOEB, L., GELBOIN, H. Stimulation of Ammo-acid Incorporation by Nuclear Ribonucleic Acid from Normal and Methylcholanthrene-treated Rats. Nature 199, 809–810 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/199809a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/199809a0
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