Stability of Cytoplasmic Messenger RNA in Stationary and Exponentially Growing Rabbit Lung Cells

Abstract

The metabolic stability of polysomal poly (A)-containing messenger RNA in exponentially growing and stationary cultures of rabbit lung cells has been estimated under conditions that do not involve the use of inhibitors of RNA synthesis. The method employed measures the spectrum of stability of messenger RNA by the analysis of the kinetics of incorporation of radioactive uridine into uridine triphosphate and into polysomal poly (A)-containing messenger RNA. The polysomal poly (A)-containing messenger RNA in exponentially growing cells with a generation time of 18 h has an apparent uniform half-life of about 18 h compared to an average half-life of 24 h in stationary cells.