Protein synthesis in muscles from normal and dystrophic hamsters

Homogenates of hindleg muscle were obtained from control and dystrophic male hamsters, 30 and 190 days of age, and were used to prepare the postmicrosomal pH5-supernatant fraction. The activity of this fraction in the incorporation of [14C]phenylalanyl-tRNA into peptides was increased in the dystrophic-muscle preparations. No such increase was found in brain or liver preparations from dystrophic hamsters. The increased capacity for aminoacyl-tRNA binding that was observed in preparations from dystrophic animals is discussed.