ACETYLATION OF GLYCYL-RNA

Abstract

Treatment of 1-14C-glycine labelled rat liver soluble RNA with acetic anhydride yielded a product which was at least 10 times more stable in solution at pH 7.5 than glycyl-RNA. The glycine acceptor activity of unesterified soluble RNA was not affected by treatment with acetic anhydride. Brief exposure of the acetylated 1-14C-glycine labelled RNA to pancreatic ribonuclease released a fragment which contained 1-14C-acetylglycine and which also contained adenosine and CMP in a molar ratio of approximately 1:1. Pyrophosphorolysis of rat liver soluble RNA greatly reduced the glycine acceptor activity of the RNA. This activity was fully restored by incubation of the degraded RNA in the presence of the "pH 5 enzymes" with ATP and CTP, but not with other nucleoside triphosphates.