Translation of mRNA from rat kidney following acute exposure to lead

1. 1. Two days after the administration of Pb 2+ (0.54 mg/100 body wt) to rats. the kidneys were removed and homogenate fractions obtained. 2. 2. The machinery for peptide synthesis exhibited increased activity in the kidney preparations from lead-treated rats. 3. 3. The poly(A) + RNA was obtained from the polysome fraction and translated in a mRNA-dependent reticulocyte lysate system. 4. 4. The translatability of the poly(A) + RNA was similar using the preparations obtained from control and lead-treated rats except for proteins of approx molecular weight of 50,000 which contained increased amounts [ 14C]leucine in the fractions derived from lead-treated rats. 5. 5. The results are compared with those after acute Cd 2+ toxicity where poly(A) + RNA exhibited increased translatability for low molecular weight metallothioneins.