EFFECT OF CYTOSINE-ARABINOSIDE TRIPHOSPHATE ON THE INCORPORATION OF THYMIDINE-H-3 IN MITOCHONDRIA ISOLATED FROM HELA-CELLS

HeLa cell mitochondria were allowed to incorporate 3H‐thymidine in a cell free system and the effect of ethidium bromide, cytosine arabinoside and cytosine arabinoside triphosphate on the labeling of mitochondrial DNA was studied. The labeled products, isolated by sedimentation velocity in CsCl‐ethidium bromide two‐step gradients, showed similar sedimentation profiles as in vivo labeled mtDNA. Cytosine arabinoside triphosphate and ethidium bromide strongly inhibited the labeling of mitochondrial DNA, whereas cytosine arabinoside appeared to be much less effective. Tritiated deoxycytidine was found to be incorporated by isolated mitochondria, whereas cytosine arabinoside was shown to enter the mitochondrial acid‐soluble pool but not to be incorporated in acid‐insoluble form. These results are in agreement with the previously reported findings of in vivo experiments. Copyright © 1979 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.