Ribonucleic Acid and Protein Synthesis in Guinea Pig Liver During Q Fever

Abstract

Protein and ribonucleic acid (RNA) syntheses increase in the liver during Q fever, coincident with progressive increments in cortisol levels. Cell-free protein-synthesizing systems indicate that the pH 5 enzyme fraction was chiefly responsible for enhanced activity. Although the polysome profiles from normal and infected livers were similar, the number of liver ribosomes doubled during infection. There was a concomitant increase in orotate incorporation in the 28 s , 18 s , and 4 s RNA species of infected liver.