Coordination of protein synthesis and degradation.

The degree of coordination between protein synthesis and protein degradation in developing and mature cels is considered. Studies on specific enzyme and general protein turnover in developing liver and differentiating mammary gland are presented. In the mature liver mitochondrion average protein degradation rates are higher for outer membrane and intermembrane space proteins than for matrix and inner membrane proteins. Significant heterogeneity of protein degradation rates was observed only in the outer mitochondrial membrane. During postnatal development the rates of degradation of proteins in many liver cellular fractions are increased. In the mitochondrion only the average rates of degradation of proteins in the outer membrane and intermembrane space fractions increase during development. Evidence for hormonally regulated changes in both protein synthesis and degradation during mammary cell differentiation is given. The data indicate that a transitory decrease in protein degradation accompanies the increase in protein synthesis on hormonal stimulation of the tissue. The results from the two model systems are collated and used to formulate a phenomenological hypothesis of protein degradation and its integration with protein synthesis in steady-state and non-steady-state conditions.