Hemoglobin Biosynthesis in Murine Virus-induced Leukemic Cells In Vitro: Structure and Amounts of Globin Chains Produced

Tryptic peptides characteristic of mouse hemoglobin α- and diffuse-type β-chains were isolated from dimethylsulfoxide-treated mouse leukemia virus-infected cell cultures. Quantitative estimates of in vitro hemoglobin synthesis by such cultures were obtained by two different methods: by analysis of radioactive amino acid incorporation, and by single-cell radial immunodiffusion assay. The amounts produced, approximately 4 pg/cell/17 hr, reflect a synthetic capacity that is probably sufficient for 32P labeling of hemoglobin messenger RNAs (mRNA) in quantities commensurate with structural characterization of mRNAs by radioautographic methods.