Serum deoxyribonuclease

N. B. Kmrnick. The determination of deoxyribonuclease activity by methyl green application to serum. Arch. Blochem. 29 41-53 (1950). 

Nickel, Ni a metai present only in traces in living systems. In particular, it seems to be associated with RNA. A nickei metalloprotein, named nickeloplas-min has been isolated from human and rabbit serum, but its function is not known. Ni protects the structure of the ribosome against heat denaturation, and it restores the sedimentation characteristics of E. coli ribosomes that have been denatured by EDTA. Ni can activate some enzymes in vitro, e.g. deoxyribonuclease, acetyl CoA synthetase and phosphoglucomu-tase. Ni deficiency causes changes in the ultrastructure of the liver and alters the level of cholesterol in the liver membranes. It may be important in the regulation of prolactin. 

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