Micro-injection into the oocytes and eggs of Xenopus laevis was used to ascertain the effects of synthetic polyribonucleotides on protein synthesis in living cells. Poly(U) and poly(A) were not translated detectably, nor did they change the rate of endogenous protein synthesis. The same was true of poly(G,U), poly(A,G,U), poly(A,C,G,U), G-U-G-(U)n, A-(U)n and AUG. In contrast, A-U-G-(U)n was a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis in the cell. This might be because it is initiated normally but lacks a termination codon, or because it inhibits the translation of other molecules in some way not dependent on its normal initiation. Poly(G,U), poly(A,G,U) and poly(A,C,G,U) inhibited haemoglobin synthesis when they were injected into the oocyte with haemoglobin mRNA. The synthetic polyribonucleotides did not inhibit the translation of the natural mRNA when the two sorts of molecules were injected at different times. It is suggested that the synthetic RNA molecules compete with the natural mRNA for a pre-initiation factor in limited supply.
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Research Article|
October 01 1974
Effects on protein synthesis of injecting synthetic polyribonucleotides into living cells
Hugh Woodland;
Hugh Woodland
1Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, U.K.
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Sarah E. Ayers
Sarah E. Ayers
1Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© 1974 The Biochemical Society
1974
Biochem J (1974) 144 (1): 11–19.
Citation
Hugh Woodland, Sarah E. Ayers; Effects on protein synthesis of injecting synthetic polyribonucleotides into living cells. Biochem J 1 October 1974; 144 (1): 11–19. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bj1440011
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