Differential rates of protein synthesis in vitro and RNA contents in rat heart ventricular and atrial muscle.

The rates of protein synthesis in perfused rat heart ventricular or atrial muscle were measured by incorporation of [U-14C]phenylalanine in the presence of the remaining plasma amino acids. Atrial protein-synthesis rates were about twice the ventricular rates. Atrial RNA contents were also about twice the ventricular contents. Thus the efficiencies of protein synthesis (protein-synthesis rate/RNA) in the two compartments were similar. There were marked differences in ventricular and atrial RNA contents during the course of rat growth. Atrial RNA content was always greater than ventricular content and declined more slowly during growth, producing a 2-fold change in atrial/ventricular RNA-content ratio between the 88 g and 370 g rat groups.