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Monovalent Cations and the Incorporation of Metabolites by Isolated Thymus Nuclei

Nature volume 184, pages 637–638 (1959)Cite this article

Abstract

INCORPORATION into protein of amino-acid by disrupted Bacillus megaterium prootplasts1, pea seedling nucleoprotein particles2, and rat liver microsomes3 is markedly enhanced by potassium ions while sodium ions are either inhibitory or without effect. In contrast, incorporation of amino-acid into the proteins of isolated thymus nuclei requires sodium ions, and potassium ions are inactive4. Potassium ions are required for many different enzyme-catalyzed reactions; but the observations with nuclei constitute one of the few instances of an apparently similar requirement for sodium ions. We have, therefore, examined this requirement in more detail, especially to determine whether the sodium requirement is unique for nuclear protein synthesis, or whether related activities, such as nuclear nucleic acid synthesis, also require sodium ions.

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Author notes

  1. THEODORE R. BREITMAN

    Present address: Graduate Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, 54, Mass.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 10, Ohio

    THEODORE R. BREITMAN & GEORGE C. WEBSTER

Authors
  1. THEODORE R. BREITMAN
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  2. GEORGE C. WEBSTER
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BREITMAN, T., WEBSTER, G. Monovalent Cations and the Incorporation of Metabolites by Isolated Thymus Nuclei. Nature 184, 637–638 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/184637a0

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