Negative control of hemoglobin production in somatic cell hybrids due to heme deficiency.

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Abstract
In somatic cell hybrids formed by the fusion of mouse erythroleukemic cells with mouse primary bone marrow cells, retention of the X chromosome contributed by the bone marrow parent is correlated with inhibition of Hb accumulation in response to dimethyl sulfoxide. The inhibition of Hb accumulation is not due to the absence of globin mRNA. Dimethyl sulfoxide-treated hybrid cells accumulate polyribosomal globin mRNA to levels comparable to those of the parental erythroleukemic cells under the same conditions. Heme, or its precursor .delta.-aminolevulinic acid, can overcome the effects of the bone marrow X chromosome and induce Hb accumulation in the dimethyl sulfoxide-treated hybrid cells. The X chromosome contributed by the bone marrow cells apparently inhibits Hb production by inhibiting inducible heme biosynthesis, most probably at the step catalyzed by .delta.-aminolevulinic acid synthetase (EC 2.3.1.37).