Selective C-14 or deuterium incorporation into the RNA and protein components of the ribosome during cell growth was monitored by radioactivity measurements and H-1-NMR as a function of C-14-nucleoside concentration and medium D2O percentage in the presence of H-or D- succinate and glycerol. It was demonstrated that in concentrations of nucleosides up to 1.2 mM, nucleoside is essentially incorporated directly into RNA with negligible cross-over into protein as well as negligible incorporation into RNA of deuterium from either the succinate, glycerol substrates or the water.