Biosynthesis of Liver and Tumor RNA Ribose in the Tumor-Bearing Rat

Abstract

Summary

Pathways of pentose biosynthesis in the liver and tumor of control and tumor bearing rats have been studied employing glucose-2-C¹⁴ as the isotopic precursor. Presence of the tumor in the animal caused marked alteration in the labeling pattern, of liver RNA ribose, with the C¹⁴ being distributed almost equally throughout the carbon chains. However, tumor RNA ribose is characterized by greater isotopic asymmetry with carbon atom 2 being most radioactive. Possible metabolic mechanisms underlying these observations are discussed.