Turnover of myelin and other structural proteins in the developing rat brain

1. Protein metabolism of myelin and other subcellular components from developing rat brain was studied for periods from 5h to 210 days after intraperitoneal injection of [(3)H]lysine and [(14)C]glucose. 2. Half-lives for total brain proteins (t(0.5)) were 27 days after [(3)H]lysine and 4 days after [(14)C]glucose injection. 3. Factors accounting for the difference in the turnover rates obtained with different precursors, and the problem of reutilization of the label were investigated. 4. The catabolism of purified myelin proteins was studied and the half-lives of individual myelin proteins were calculated. 5. Myelin basic proteins turned over at two different rates. Half-life of the fast component of myelin basic proteins was 19-22 days and the slow component exhibited a high degree of metabolic stability. 6. Proteolipid protein underwent slow turnover. High-molecular-weight Wolfgram (1966) proteins underwent (relatively) fast metabolism (t(0.5) of 17-22 days).