The ribonucleic acids of the mammary gland of the guinea pig.

1. 32-P-labelled polyribosome preparations were made from the mammary glands of lactating and late-pregnant guinea pigs after injection of (32-P)i into the animals. 2. The RNA of polyribosomes, ribosomal subunits and that released from polyribosomes by EDTA were analysed by zone velocity centrifugation and by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. 3. RNA species which have the physical properties expected for the milk protein mRNA were detected. RNA species of a size which could code for the caseins were present in lactating but not in pre-lactating mammary-gland polyribosomes.