Utilization of the nucleic acids of<i>Escherichia coli</i>and rumen bacteria by sheep

Abstract

1. Escherichia coli and mixed cultures of rumen bacteria were grown with [8- 14 C]adenine to label their nucleic acids specifically. 2. The labelled bacteria were injected into the rumen of sheep and the radioactivity incorporated into tissue nucleic acids and that excreted in the urine and faeces was determined. 3. The radioactivity was present in the cold trichloroacetic acid-soluble fraction and the RNA and DNA fractions of all tissues examined. Liver, kidney, spleen, and blood had the highest levels of radioactivity. 4. The radioactivity of the RNA was present only in adenosine monophosphate and guanosine monophosphate.