Variable amounts of translatable ferritin mRNA in bean leaves with various iron contents.

RNA was isolated from bean leaves with various iron and ferritin contents. The amount of translatable ferritin mRNA in these RNAs was determined by wheat-germ cell-free translation and immunoprecipitation with anti-bean seed ferritin serum. The levels of ferritin mRNA present in total RNA of the leaves are reflected by the in vivo levels of ferritin in the corresponding leaf tissues. This implies that the iron-dependent regulation of phytoferritin synthesis, in contrast with the regulation of animal ferritin synthesis, occurs at the level of transcription.