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The Journal of general physiology1952; 36(2); 227-241; doi: 10.1085/jgp.36.2.227

Some aspects of the desoxyribonuclease activities of animal tissues.

Abstract: It has been found that many animal tissues contain "acid" desoxyribonucleases with pH optima near 5.2. A chemical method for the determination of this activity is described. The pancreatic desoxyribonuclease crystallized by Kunitz and shown to have a neutral pH optimum occurs in the pancreas together with the "acid" enzyme, but only the "neutral" enzyme occurs in the pancreatic juice. The ratio of "neutral" to "acid" DNAase activities in the pancreas is greater than 200, but in all other tissues examined there is no appreciable concentration of the neutral enzyme. It is concluded that neutral DNAase, like trypsin or lipase, has a digestive function. Some problems in the activation of the secretory enzyme in neutral pancreatic extracts are described. This activation can be interpreted in terms of a specific inhibitor or an inactive form of the enzyme. A comparison of the "acid" DNAase activities of different organs of the calf, horse, chicken, mouse, and rat indicates a possible connection between the DNAase concentration of a tissue and its capacity for proliferation or regeneration. However, the comparative DNAase activities of fetal and adult tissues do not support the view that DNAase function is limited to some simple role in the mechanics of cell division. Studies on the incorporation of glycine-N(15) into the desoxypentose nucleic acids of avian red cells, and mouse liver, pancreas, and kidney show that the N(15) uptake into the DNA of the chromosome is most rapid in tissues with high DNAase concentrations. No N(15) incorporation is observed in the DNA of avian red cells, which have negligible concentrations of the enzyme. The analyses of tissues and nuclei isolated in non-aqueous media show that the bulk of the enzyme occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell, and that nuclear concentrations vary from tissue to tissue. A theory relating the DNAase activity of the cell to its over-all desoxypentose nucleotide metabolism is discussed. No evidence has been found for the presence of inhibitors of the "acid" DNAase in animal tissues.
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Publication Date: 1952-11-01 PubMed ID: 13011279PubMed Central: PMC2147360DOI: 10.1085/jgp.36.2.227Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article describes a study where it appears that animal tissues possess certain types of desoxyribonucleases (enzymes that break down DNA), specifically “acid” desoxyribonucleases, which work optimally around pH levels of 5.2. The study also notes variations in tissue concentration of these enzymes in relation to their function and growth capacity.

Discovering DNAases in animal tissues

  • A significant discovery in the study was that many animal tissues contained ‘acid’ desoxyribonucleases (DNAases), enzymes that degrade DNA, with optimum operation around pH 5.2.
  • A consequent chemical method for determining the activity of these enzymes was described.

Pancreatic DNAases

  • The study found the presence of both ‘acid’ and ‘neutral’ DNAases in the pancreas. However, only the ‘neutral’ enzyme was found in pancreatic juice.
  • It was found that the rate of ‘neutral’ to ‘acid’ DNAase activity was greater than 200 in the pancreas, suggesting a significant amount of the neutral enzyme. Other tissues showed an unremarkable concentration of the neutral enzyme.
  • It leads to the conclusion that neutral DNAase might have a digestive function, similar to trypsin or lipase.

Comparison of DNAase Activity

  • Comparative studies of the ‘acid’ DNAase activities were conducted across different organs in various animals such as calves, horses, chickens, mice, and rats.
  • A possible link between the capacity for tissue proliferation or regeneration and the concentration of DNAase it contains was suggested.
  • However, upon comparing the activities of DNAases in fetal and adult tissues, it seemed this enzyme function isn’t limited to some simple role in cell division mechanics.

Incorporation of glycine-N(15) into DNA

  • Studies indicated that the rate of N(15) uptake into chromosome DNA was quickest in tissues with high DNAase concentrations.
  • Avian red cells, which have almost untraceable quantities of the enzyme, showed no N(15) incorporation into its DNA.

Origins and inhibitors of DNAases

  • Analyses indicated that most of the enzyme exists in the cell’s cytoplasm and the concentration in the nucleus varies between tissues.
  • A theory was hypothesized to link the DNAase activity in a cell with its overall desoxypentose nucleotide metabolism.
  • No evidence indicated the presence of inhibitors of ‘acid’ DNAase in animal tissues as per the study.

Cite This Article

APA
ALLFREY V, MIRSKY AE. (1952). Some aspects of the desoxyribonuclease activities of animal tissues. J Gen Physiol, 36(2), 227-241. https://doi.org/10.1085/jgp.36.2.227

Publication

The Journal of general physiology
ISSN: 0022-1295
NlmUniqueID: 2985110R
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 36
Issue: 2
Pages: 227-241

Researcher Affiliations

ALLFREY, V
    MIRSKY, A E

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Cattle
      • Cell Nucleus
      • DNA
      • Deoxyribonucleases
      • Horses
      • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
      • Mice
      • RNA
      • Rats

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