On the degradation of intracellular RNA by ribonucleases

The kinetic and the specificity of two RNases purified from the insect. C. capitata have been studied. These two enzymes exhibit preference to degrade large polynucleotides. The alkaline enzyme is located in the soluble cellular fraction and the acid enzyme is also associated to microsomes and lysosomes. A hypothesis about the physiological role of these two insect enzymes in the degradation of the intracellular RNA is proposed.