Protein synthesis in skin and bone of the young rat

Fractional rates of protein synthesis in tissues of young growing rats were estimated by injection of flooding amounts (1.5 mmol/kg body-weight) of [3H]phenylalanine. Rates of 63.6%/d and 90.4%/d respectively were obtained in the skin and bone (tibia) of fed animals. These rates were comparable to that in liver (86.3%/d) but considerably higher than in muscle (16.9%/d). Absolute amounts of protein synthesized in tissues of fed rats were estimated. Together the skin and bones accounted for 25% of whole-body synthesis, a value similar to the contribution of liver (15%) and muscle (25%). In fed rats the ratio, RNA:protein in skin and bone was lower than in liver, but much higher than in muscle. However, the amounts of protein synthesized per unit RNA in skin and bone were higher than in both liver and muscle. After 2 d of starvation the fractional rates of protein synthesis in skin and bone fell by 26% and 31% respectively. This was greater than the fall in liver (17%) but less than in muscle (66%). In bone the fall in synthesis was accompanied by decreases in both RNA:protein and synthesis per unit RNA, but in skin there was a fall in RNA:protein which was partially countered by an increase in the rate of synthesis per unit RNA.