[Mechanism of chromatin degradation in thymocytes of irradiated rats. 6. Postradiation changes in the activity of poly(ADP-riboso)-polymerase]. / Mekhanizm degradatsii khromatina v timotsitakh obluchennykh krys. Soobshchenie 6. Postradiatsionnye izmeneniia aktivnosti poli(ADF-ribozo)-polimerazy.

A biphase change in poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity of the thymocyte chromatin was observed after 10 Gy irradiation of rats: during the first minutes the incorporation of 14C-NAD increased by 40% then started decreasing to make 110, 60 and 35% after 1, 2 and 3 h, respectively. Irradiation of rat thymus chromatin in vitro sharply decreased poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase activity. The possible role of changes in the poly (ADP-ribose) synthesis in the activation of nuclear Ca/Mg-dependent endonuclease and in the postirradiation degradation of the thymocyte chromatin is discussed.

[Characteristics of acid ribonuclease from rat thymus chromatin]. / Kharakteristika kisloi ribonukleazy khromatina timusa krysy.

Acid ribonuclease, free of nucleases and phosphatases, is isolated from rat thymus chromatin. The pH optimum of the enzyme is 5.0-5.5, optimal concentrations of Na+ and K+ ions are 0.05-0.15 M and 0.05 M respectively, Mg2+ inhibits the enzyme activity. The enzyme hydrolyses poly U, poly AU, cytoplasmic and nuclear RNAs, but does not attack poly A, polyG, polyC, poly A:poly U, native and denatured DNA'S. The enzyme is 3'-endonuclease, it splits the bond between the 5'-carbon atom of adenosine, guanosine and uridine and 3'-phosphate of uridilic residue. Middle length of oligonucleotides after the hydrolysis of cytoplasmic RNA comprises 10 nucleotides. Possible role of the enzyme in the processing of nuclear RNAs is discussed.