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. 1982 Oct;44(4):891–902. doi: 10.1128/aem.44.4.891-902.1982

Selected Nucleic Acid Precursors in Studies of Aquatic Microbial Ecology

David M Karl 1
PMCID: PMC242114  PMID: 16346114

Abstract

The use of radiolabeled nucleosides and nucleic acid bases to estimate the rates of RNA and DNA synthesis in naturally occurring microbial assemblages requires numerous assumptions, several of which are evaluated herein. Comparative time series analyses of the uptake and incorporation, labeling specificity, and extent of catabolism of [2-3H]adenine, [methyl-3H]thymidine, and [5-3H]uridine were performed with pure bacterial and algal cultures, as well as with environmental samples. [3H]thymidine yielded the most variable results, especially with regard to the extent of nonspecific macromolecular labeling. The pathways of [3H]thymidine and [3H]adenine metabolism were further evaluated by isotope dilution methods and by comparing incorporation patterns of thymidine labeled at different sites of the molecule. The advantages, uncertainties, and limitations of the use of radiolabeled nucleic acid precursors in studies of aquatic microbial ecology are discussed and a prospectus for future studies presented.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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