title: Appearance of a methylated ribonucleic acid on illumination of Euglena gracillis cells grown in the dark.
abstract: Investigation of the methylation of nucleic acids by [Me-(3)H]methionine after illumination of Euglena cells grown in the dark has shown that a high-molecular-weight nucleic acid fraction undergoes methylation after exposure to light for 60-120min. This methylated nucleic acid fraction was isolated both by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation and exclusion chromatography on Sephadex G-200. The fraction was shown to consist of a preformed RNA that is present in cells grown in the dark and which on illumination is transmethylated by methionine.
mesh_terms: D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002845:Chromatography; D003624:Darkness; D005056:Euglena gracilis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010788:Photosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013460:Sulfur Isotopes; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D009696:Nucleic Acids; D013460:Sulfur Isotopes; D014316:Tritium; D012313:RNA; D008715:Methionine