[A simple enzymatic method for the quantitative determination of cordycepin and [3'-deoxy]ATP in rat brain tissue]

A procedure for quantitative estimation of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), a specific inhibitor of post-transcriptional polyadenylation of pre-mRNA and of a metabolite of cordycepin 3'-deoxyATP in rat brain tissue is described. The procedure is based on evaluation of an inhibitory effect on the synthesis of polyA in vitro of total nucleoside and nucleoside and nucleoside triphosphate preparations isolated from the animal brain after cordycepin administration. Homogenates of intact animal brain were used as a source of "crude" polyA polymerase preparations.