title: RNA polymerase activities in liver and brain tissue of aging mice.
abstract: RNA polymerase activity has been measured in liver and brain of C57BL-6J mice to determine if a change in enzyme activity can be correlated with decreasing survivorship of the animals. The RNA polymerases in tissue homogenates were solubilized by treatment with a buffer of high ionic strength and resolved by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. Enzyme activity was quantitated by measuring the incorporation of [3H]UMP into RNA using heat denatured calf thymus DNA as the template. Statistically significant differences in polymerase activities were not observed in liver tissue from 18-, 25-, and 29-month-old animals or in brain tissue from 23- to 31-month-old animals. These age groups span the period of most rapid decrease in survivors,ip in our colony of mice (from 93% to 16%). The evidence indicates that changes in liver or brain RNA polymerase activities are not correlated with the rapid decrease in survivorship of these animals.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases