The present communication deals with the ability of isolated nuclei to incorporate isotopically labelled amino acids into their proteins. It will be shown that the deoxyribonucleic acid of the nucleus plays a role in this incorporation; that protein synthesis virtually ceases when the DNA is removed from the nucleus, and that the uptake of amino acids resumes when the DNA is restored.This report also deals with the conditions necessary for amino acid incorporation, with the effects of various inhibitors, and with the role of nucleic acid components in this aspect of protein synthesis. Preliminary accounts of some of these experiments have been published elsewhere (1, 2).
Sore, Properties of Isolated Thymus Nuclei.--Most of the experiments tobe described were performed on nuclei isolated from calf thymus tissue in 0.25 M sucrose solution containing a small amount of calcium chloride. The procedure is rapid and simple, and it provides nuclei of high purity in good yield.Since some form of standardization is essential for all work on isolated cell components, thymus nuclei isolated in sucrose have been compared with those isolated in non-aqueous media (3,4). The purpose of this comparison is to test whether the aqueous isolation procedure extracts water-soluble nuclear components, or whether it leads to excessive contamination with the watersoluble proteins of the cytoplasm. Many such comparisons have shown that thymus "sucrose" nuclei are the equivalent of the standard "non-aqueous" nuclei in many respects. Their DNA content is the same (2.5 per cent DNA-P), as is their over-all protein composition and enzymic constitution (4).When preparations of thymus nuclei isolated in sucrose solution are examined under the light microscope, either stained or unstained, they seem to be a beautiful preparation. One observes great numbers of free nuclei, a few whole cells, and occasional red cells. Staining reveals occasional strands of cytoplasm attached to some of the nuclei. The over-aU extent of this cytoplasmic contamination can be estimated chemically [e.g. by nucleic acid analyses] and the conclusion was reached that these nuclei are better than 90 per cent pure.