Open AccessThe Translation in vitro of mRNA for Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
Author(s) -
Cowan Nicholas Justin,
Milstein Cesar
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1973.tb02877.x
Subject(s) - reticulocyte , cell free system , polysome , messenger rna , in vitro , protein biosynthesis , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , heterologous , biochemistry , immunoglobulin light chain , in vivo , translation (biology) , peptide , biology , rna , ribosome , gene , immunology
The addition of mRNA preparations to a number of heterologous cell‐free systems has been shown to result in the synthesis of immunoglobulin light chains. This paper reports the results of experiments in which an mRNA fraction prepared from MOPC 21 mouse myeloma cells has been used to stimulate the synthesis of immunoglobulin heavy chains in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. The synthesis of heavy chains in a homologous cell‐free system containing either microsomes or membrane‐derived polysomes is also described. The synthetic product has been characterised by finger‐printing in each case. The results reveal the presence of a unique methionine‐containing peptide in digests of the product of the rabbit reticulocyte cell‐free system. This peptide is not observed in corresponding digests of heavy chains synthesized in vivo or in the homologous cell‐free system in vitro.