ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 29, Number 6
JKCSEZ 29(6)
December 20, 1985 

RNA degradation by riboinuclease A (EC 3.1.27.5) was inhibited by spermine. As the concentration of spermine was increased, the ribonuclease activity was decreased gradually until it reached a plateau. Under the same conditions, the viscosity of the RNA increased, as the spermine concentration was increased until it reached a plateau in the same manner as the profile of the spermine-dependent ribonuclease activity. The inhibitory effect of spermine on the susceptibility of RNA to the ribonuclease could be relieved by denatured calf thymus DNA, but not by the native DNA. The data here indicate the possibility that the suppress of the RNA susceptibility for the ribonuclease by spermine is brought about by the spermine-induced intermolecular aggregation of the RNA molecules.