Inhibition of DNA synthesis in synchronized Chinese hamster cells treated in G1 with cycloheximide.

In rats with signs of onset of organic mercury poisoning, marked changes were noted in the granule cells of the cerebellum. In the initial stage of the disease, selective damage to granule cells was characteristic probably due to disturbance in protein synthesis. Mitochondria showed only relatively mild changes even at a considerably later stage, after disappearance of intracytoplasmic organelles from the granule cells.

Electron microscopical study of experimentally induced poisoning due to organic mercury compound

Publisher Summary The mitochondrion is the only structure in the nucleated animal cell which satisfies both the biochemical and structural criteria for an evolutionary relationship with bacteria. Isolated mitochondria can perform most of the fundamental biochemical cycles necessary for independent life, including oxidative phosphorylation and protein, lipid, and nucleic acid synthesis. Despite this relative independence, mitochondria are essential structures of the eukaryotic cell. This chapter traces the history and evidence for an evolutionary relationship between bacteria and mitochondria. Mitochondria and bacteria are of similar shape and size and also there are similar cytochemical properties of mitochondria and some bacteria. One obvious difference between mitochondria and bacteria is their external envelopes. Bacteria are enclosed by a cell wall formed by enzymes located in the internal cytoplasmic membrane. Mitochondria are enclosed by two envelopes, both are membranous.

The significance of the structural and functional similarities of bacteria and mitochondria.

The cells of higher organisms contain highly differentiated bodies or organelles, each of which is delimited from the surrounding cytoplasm by an outer membrane Organelles carry out specialized cellular functions; they possess complex and unique internal structures and contain a characteristic complement of enzymes and other constitutents Clearly, knowledge of the genetic and metabolic regulatory systems involved in the differentiation of these cellular structures is crucial to our comprehension of the biochemistry of growth and differentiation of the cells of higher organisms

Organelle Biosynthesis: The Chloroplast

Apparently intact mitochondria from ovaries of Xenopus laevis can incorporate high molecular weight polynucleotides which then serve as templates for polypeptide synthesis on mitochondrial ribosomes.

S.K. Chatterjee

Papers

Protein Synthesis in Plant Mitochondria I. INCORPORATION OF AMINO ACID IN PEPTIDE LINKAGE

Protein synthesis in plant mitochondria II. Glutamate and glutamine incorporation and a study of initial steps and streptomycin effect

Deoxyribonucleic acid and the synthesis of protein in plant mitochondria. IV.

Protein synthesis in plant mitochondria: V. Incorporation of amino acids by submitochondrial fractions.