Uracil metabolism in golden hamster after irradiation.

The catabolism of uracil and the total balance of excreted radioactivity were studied in golden hamsters after a peroral application of 14C-uracil. Twenty-four hours after administration most of the radioactivity taken up appeared in expired carbon dioxide. The percent proportion of radioactivity in carbon dioxide was independent of the amount of uracil administered.

[Nucleic acids utilized as the main source of bacterial nutrition].

Secretion of DNases and RNases, respectively, was found in saprophyte bacteria isolated from nature and growing on media containing DNA and RNA. Serratia marcescens and Bacillus subtilis with a high nuclease activity can assimilate RNA and DNA as the main source of nutrition. Ser.