Coordination of heme and globin synthesis in primate reticulocytes.

Abstract In vitro indubations of the peripheral blood of marmosets, a new world monkey, have established the existence of an interaction between the heme and globin biosynthetic pathways in primate reticulocytes. In addition, isonicotinc acid hydrozide (INH), a known inhibitor of hem biosynthesis, was shown to inhibit secondarily the biosynthesis of globin. The effect of varied concentrations of INH on δ-[ 3 H]-aminovelunic acid incorporation suggests that pyridoxal phosphate is required at two and possibly more steps in the heme pathway. The firts of such steps in at the condensation of succinyl-CoA and glycine; the second, most likely subsequent to the formation of δ-aminolevulinic acid, is at the mobilization of iron from the mitochondria. No significant accumulation of free globin was detected in the cells treated with INH.