Ribonucleic Acid Biosynthesis in Human Leukocytes

Abstract

Abstract Phagocytosis has profound effects on several aspects of the RNA metabolism of human leukocytes. The major changes induced by particle ingestion appear to be (1) an increased uptake of pyrimidine precursors from the suspending medium, (2) a contraction in the size of the nucleotide pool, (3) an accelerated rate of destruction of preexisting RNA, and (4) an increased rate of RNA synthesis. Sucrose density gradient analysis of the newly synthesized RNA suggests that several classes of RNA are involved in this process. The increased turnover rate of the nucleotide pool and of the cellular RNA of the leukocyte is proportional, within limits, to the total load of ingested particles.