QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Haider, M. Articles by Tarver, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Haider, M. Articles by Tarver, H.

Effect of Diet on Protein Synthesis and Nucleic Acid Levels in Rat Liver¹

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94122

The effects of variation in dietary protein content on the rates of liver protein and plasma albumin synthesis have been reinvestigated. Adult rats were preconditioned to normal (27%), high (64%), low (8%) and protein-free diets for 5 to 7 weeks. Following a 4-hour fast they were injected with DL-lysine-1-¹⁴C intravenously at different time intervals up to 2 hours before killing. Determinations were made of DNA, RNA, protein, and free lysine concentrations in the liver, and of the specific activity of lysine in the protein-bound and TCA-soluble fractions. The rate of liver protein synthesis remained relatively unchanged in low and high protein diet groups, as compared with the normal protein diet group, and was either unchanged or slightly increased in the animals on the protein-free diet. On the other hand, the rate of plasma albumin synthesis was significantly reduced in protein deprivation, although it did not show any appreciable differences among other groups. DNA, content was found to be higher in the liver of rats fed the protein-free diet, as compared with those on normal diet, whereas RNA concentration was reduced considerably, the differences among other groups being small. Protein content of the liver changed proportionate to the protein content of the diet. Free lysine concentration in the liver was found to be relatively unaffected by dietary treatment.

² Present address: Department of Biology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14214.

Manuscript received 12 June 1969.