Stimulation of incorporation of nucleic acid precursors into HeLa cells caused by proflavine.

1. The effect of proflavine and other acridines on the incorporation of precursors into the nucleic acids of HeLa cells was examined. 2. Relatively low concentrations (50mum) of proflavine completely inhibited incorporation of precursors into DNA, but allowed a small extent of incorporation into RNA. 3. Acridine-resistant incorporation into RNA was unaffected by actinomycin D at 2mug./ml. and persisted even at high concentrations (500mum) of many acridines. 4. A few combinations of acridine and precursor, notably 250mum-proflavine and [(14)C]adenine, caused a stimulation of incorporation. 5. The proflavine-stimulated incorporation was into alkali-stable di- and tri-nucleotides. 6. It was concluded that the effect was due to the preferential inhibition of degradation of a fraction of RNA that normally turned over, thus allowing small radioactive oligonucleotides to accumulate in the cells.