Chromatin phospholipids and DNA synthesis in hepatic cells.

The synthesis of phospholipids found in microsomes, in the nuclei and in chromatin has been studied in rat liver after partial hepatectomy. [32P]O4(2-)incorporation in phospholipids has been compared with that of (3H) thymidine over a period of 48 h after operation. The presence of two peaks of DNA synthesis has been observed at 18 and 36 h; nuclear phospholipids show a continuous synthesis starting from 12 h, whereas the microsomes show two peaks at 12 and 24-30 h. The specific activity of the chromatin phospholipid fraction increases at 12h, doubles its initial value at 18 h, shows a peak at 30 h and comes back to the initial value at 48 h. It is concluded that chromatin phospholipids increase their synthesis in relation to the S phase of the cell cycle, whereas those of the nuclear membranes do not change the rate of synthesis throughout the cell cycle. The possibility is suggested that chromatin phospholipids are synthesized in the microsomes and transferred to the nucleus.