Ubiquitin metabolism in HeLa cells starved of amino acids.

Radio-iodinated ubiquitin (Ub) was introduced into HeLa cells by red blood cell-mediated microinjection. The half-life and solubility of Ub, as well as the molecular weight distributions of Ub conjugates, were then measured in HeLa cells grown in complete medium or in medium lacking amino acids and fetal calf serum. Ub metabolism was similar in the two sets of cells. Thus, the dramatic changes in Ub metabolism induced by thermal stress are not observed upon amino acid deprivation.