Identification, development, and regional distribution of ribonucleotide reductase in adult rat brain

The development and regional distribution of ribonucleotide reductase (EC 1.17.4.1) were determined in rat brain. Ribonucleotide reductase was partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation (20-40% saturation). Enzyme activity was measured by a specific radiochemical assay. This method involved the reduction of [14C]cytidine diphosphate (CDP) to [14C]deoxycytidine diphosphate with subsequent hydrolysis and separation of the product ([14C]deoxycytidine) from substrate ([14C]cytidine) by Dowex-1-borate ion-exchange chromatography. The specific activity of ribonucleotide reductase in whole brain of newborn rats was 3.78 +/- 0.55 units (pmol/h)/mg protein (SEM; n = 6) and declined to 0.17 +/- 0.01 units/mg protein (n = 7) at 10-12 weeks of age, with a further decline to 0.11 +/- 0.01 units/mg protein (n = 3) at 1 year. Ribonucleotide reductase activity in rat liver decreased from 4.58 +/- 0.62 units/mg protein (n = 3) in newborn animals to 0.06 +/- 0.01 units/mg protein (n = 7) at 10-12 weeks and was present at trace levels at 6 months of age. The decline in specific activity with age was not due to a change in the Km for CDP. The Km for CDP in brain of newborn and adult rats was 80-90 microM. In 10- to 12-week-old rats, the specific activity of ribonucleotide reductase was similar in the various regions of the brain tested except for the brainstem, which had 50% lower specific activity than the whole brain. These results indicate that ribonucleotide reductase activity is present and widely distributed in adult rat brain.