title: Deprivation of dietary nucleotides decreases protein synthesis in the liver and small intestine in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dietary nucleotides are reported to influence the growth and functioning of the liver and small intestine. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanism by which nucleotides exert their effects in these tissues by assessing protein synthesis activity and related parameters in the presence or absence of dietary nucleotides.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were fed a purified diet with or without nucleotides for 10 days. Fractional protein synthesis rate, RNA and DNA concentrations, polysome size distribution, and number of ribosomes were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fractional protein synthesis rates of the liver and small intestine were lower in the nucleotide-deprived group than in the control group. In the liver, RNA concentration was also lower in the nucleotide-deprived group, but values in the small intestine were similar in the two groups. In the liver, deprivation of nucleotides resulted in a reduction in the number of ribosomes and in polysome breakdown. Protein and DNA concentrations did not vary in the liver; however, the concentration of DNA was lower in the small intestine of the nucleotide-deprived group than in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary nucleotides can modulate protein synthesis in the liver and small intestine as a result of tissue-specific nucleic acid changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: López-Navarro
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peragón
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Pozo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency*; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D009711:Nucleotides; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA