Ribonucleic acid synthesis inPlasmodium knowlesimaintained bothin vivoandin vitro

Abstract

RNA extracted from purified parasites ofPlasmodium knowlesiwas fractionated using agarose gel electrophoresis. Preparations from parasites grown bothin vivoandin vitrocontained species of RNA with sedimentation coefficients of 4·0S, 5·0S, 16·6S, 24·2S, 31·4S, 38·0S and 48·3S. There was less RNA present in parasites grownin vitrothan the equivalent stage parasites grownin vivobut the proportional amounts of the various species of RNA was similar in both cases. It is suggested that the 24·2S and 16·6S species of RNA are ribosomal and that the high molecular weight 31·4S, 38·0S and 48·0S species are ribosomal precursors. Ribosomal RNA synthesis occurs throughout the cell cycle during growth from the ring to the schizont stage; maximum incorporation of [H3]-adenosine occurs at the late trophozoite stage before nuclear division.