VITAMIN B12 AND THE MACROMOLECULAR COMPOSITION OF EUGLENA

Abstract

When vitamin B12 is added to B12-deficient cultures of Euglena gracilis, the cells undergo two relatively synchronous cell divisions within a shorter than usual period of time, apparently as a result of a transitory shortening of the cell cycle. The first cell division pulse, occurring 4.5 h after addition of B12, is preceded by the completion of DNA duplication, but appears to involve no net synthesis of RNA or protein. Before the second round of cell division at about 11 h, a significant amount of DNA synthesis is observed. This time it is accompanied by a minor increase in the RNA and protein content of the culture. The cellular contents of RNA and protein were observed to decrease steadily after the resumption of cell division in B12-depleted cultures receiving the vitamin. Ultimately all three macromolecules returned to their nondeficient, plateau stage levels; by this time, cell division had ceased.