Folylpolyglutamate synthetase activity in regenerating rat liver

Regenerating liver of hepatectomized rat showed marked changes in folylpolyglutamate pattern. The activity of folylpolyglutamate synthetase, investigated at various times after the operation, showed a slight increase at 12 h, reached its highest value at 36 h and, for all the time studied, remained at the upper level as compared with controls. These results may contribute to explain the higher incorporation in regenerating liver of 3H folic acid into folylpolyglutamates at a higher number of glutamate residues and is consistent with the hypothesis that the addition of glutamate represents a control step in folate coenzyme synthesis and consequently of one-carbon metabolism.