Pathways of Purine Ribonucleotide Catabolism in Ehrlich Ascites Tumor Cells In Vitro

Abstract

Ehrlich ascites tumor cells incubated in vitro with adenine-14C catabolized up to 20% of the radioactive nucleotides which were formed, principally via dephosphorylation of inosinate and xanthylate, with small amounts of adenylate and guanylate broken down. Cells incubated with hypoxanthine-14C catabolized a much larger proportion of nucleotides, principally via dephosphorylation of inosinate and xanthylate; guanylate was also broken down. Catabolic products of guanine-14C in these cells were xanthine, which was formed directly from guanine, and guanosine which at least in part was formed via dephosphorylation of guanylate.