Antagonistic Action of Exogenous Histone and RNA in Mouse Ascites Cells 1

Abstract

Summary

Functional interaction between histone and RNA was studied using Nelson mouse ascites cells. Liver RNA was capable of stimulating RNA synthesis and arginine-rich histone inhibited it. The potency of low molecular weight fraction was superior to the high and whole RNAs, but inferior to the nucleolar RNA. Poly I-C was unable to lift the RNA synthesis to a level above the controls.

Intracellular distribution of ¹²⁵I-histone was traced by high resolution autoradiography. The predominant nuclear uptake of histone coupled with early work on RNA uptake provided evidence for the in situ action of histone and RNA. The RNA-stimulated RNA synthesis was sensitive to actinomycin D. From studies on the action of RNA versus histone, it was concluded that the action of RNA was mediated by arginine-rich histone.

Fig. 10. The response of the histone pretreated cells (H) to RNA (HR) and RNAse-digested RNA (RNAse). The concentration of histone and RNA is same as Fig. 9 (³H-uridine triphosphate as precursor).