Unstable ribonucleic acid in mammalian blood cells

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Abstract

There is considerable evidence to suggest that an RNA fraction exists in bacterial cells which may serve as an intermediate in the transfer of the genetic information for coding amino acid sequence in protein molecules (Volkin and Astrachan, 1956; Brenner et al, 1961; Gros et al, 1961; Nomura et al, 1960; Hurwitz et al, 1961; Wood and Berg, 1962). This “messenger” RNA, as postulated by Jacob and Monod (1961), has a high rate of renewal and, under certain conditions, associates with ribosomes. The present study has sought evidence for this type of RNA in mammalian blood cells. These cells are of particular interest because of the striking differentiation involved in the formation of the red cells, platelets and white cells. Evidence has been obtained that an RNA fraction with metabolic characteristics similar to that of “messenger” RNA exists in white blood cells of rabbits.

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Cited by (0)

This work has been aided by Grants from the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research, the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, U.S. Public Health Service, Grants RG-7368 and A-2773 and the Institut National D'Hygiene (Paris).

2

Commonwealth Fund Travelling Fellow. Present address: College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York.

3

Postdoctorate Fellow, U.S. Public Health Service.

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