scholarly journals Regulatory state of ribosomal genes and physiological changes in the concentration of free ribonucleic acid polymerase in Escherichia coli

1975 ◽  
Vol 150 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Bremer ◽  
D G Dalbow

The concept of promoter efficiency is introduced as frequency of RNA chain initiation at a given promoter normalized to the intracellular concentration of free (but functional) RNA polymerase. Previous observations from this laboratory on the synthesis of ribosomes and β-galactosidase are used to show that during a nutritional shift-up from succinate minimal to glucose-amino acids medium (3-fold increase in steady-state growth rate) the concentration of free (active) RNA polymerase decreases to one-quarter of the pre-shift value and the promoter efficiencies of the genes for ribosomal RNA and ribosomal proteins increase 9- and 6-fold respectively. This extent of control of ribosomal genes is much greater than expected on the basis of the increase in the rate of ribosome synthesis (3-fold).

1975 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 469-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Bremer ◽  
P P Dennis

The relative transcriptional activities of genes coding for ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal proteins (r-proteins) at a steady-state growth rates ranging from 0.65 to 2.1 doublings/h can be estimated from previous measurements of the synthesis rates of stable and unstable RNA (Pato & von Meyenburg, 1970; Nierlich, 1972a,b; Bremer et al., 1973; Dennis & Bremer, 1973b, 1974b) and ribosomal proteins (Schleif, 1967; Dennis & Bremer, 1974a). Comparison of these transcriptional activities suggests that the expression of the r-protein genes and rRNA genes is controlled seperately.


1994 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 415-419
Author(s):  
M Radłowski ◽  
D Job

The effect of disulfide and sulfhydryl reagents on the rate of abortive and productive elongation has been studied using Escherichia coli RNA polymerase holoenzyme and poly[d(A-T)] as template. In the presence of UTP as a single substrate and UpA as a primer, the enzyme catalyzed efficiently the synthesis of the trinucleotide product UpApU. Incubation of RNA polymerase with 1 mM 2-mercaptoethanol resulted in a 5-fold increase of the rate of UpApU synthesis. In contrast, incubation of the enzyme with 1 mM 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic) acid resulted in a 6-fold decrease of the rate of abortive elongation. Determination of the steady state kinetic constants associated with UpApU synthesis disclosed that the disulfide and sulfhydryl reagents mainly affected the rate of UpApU release from the ternary transcription complexes and therefore influenced the stability of such complexes.


1981 ◽  
Vol 183 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben A. Oostra ◽  
Klaas Kok ◽  
Adri J. Van Vliet ◽  
AB Geert ◽  
Max Gruber

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 528-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Boyle ◽  
Frederick Chu ◽  
Nathan Brot ◽  
Bruce H. Sells

The level of ppGpp and rates of synthesis of stable RNA, ribosomal protein, and the β and β′ subunits of RNA polymerase were measured following a nutritional shiftup in Escherichia coli strains, NF 929 (spoT+) and NF 930 (spoT'−). In the spoT+ strain, ppGpp levels decreased 50% within 2 min following shiftup, and the rates of synthesis of stable RNA, ribosomal proteins, and the β and β′ subunits of RNA polymerase increased with little or no lag. In contrast, in the spoT− strain, ppGpp levels transiently increased 40% during the first 6 min following shiftup. An inhibition in the rate of stable RNA synthesis and a delay in the increased synthesis of ribosomal proteins and β and β′ subunits occurred concurrently with the transient increase in ppGpp. In addition, the DNA-dependent synthesis in vitro of the β and β′ subunits of RNA polymerase was inhibited by physiological levels of ppGpp. Because of the timing and magnitude of the changes in ppGpp levels in the spoT− strain versus the timing when the new rates of stable RNA, ribosomal protein, and β and β′ subunits synthesis are reached, it is concluded that ppGpp is not the sole element regulating the expression of these genes.


2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (16) ◽  
pp. 5775-5782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prabhat Mallik ◽  
Brian J. Paul ◽  
Steven T. Rutherford ◽  
Richard L. Gourse ◽  
Robert Osuna

ABSTRACT DksA is a critical transcription factor in Escherichia coli that binds to RNA polymerase and potentiates control of rRNA promoters and certain amino acid promoters. Given the kinetic similarities between rRNA promoters and the fis promoter (Pfis), we investigated the possibility that DksA might also control transcription from Pfis. We show that the absence of dksA extends transcription from Pfis well into the late logarithmic and stationary growth phases, demonstrating the importance of DksA for growth phase-dependent regulation of fis. We also show that transcription from Pfis increases with steady-state growth rate and that dksA is absolutely required for this regulation. In addition, both DksA and ppGpp are required for inhibition of Pfis promoter activity following amino acid starvation, and these factors act directly and synergistically to negatively control Pfis transcription in vitro. DksA decreases the half-life of the intrinsically short-lived fis promoter-RNA polymerase complex and increases its sensitivity to the concentration of CTP, the predominant initiating nucleotide triphosphate for this promoter. This work extends our understanding of the multiple factors controlling fis expression and demonstrates the generality of the DksA requirement for regulation of kinetically similar promoters.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-476
Author(s):  
F. K. Chu ◽  
P. Y. Maeba

Reconstituted 37S and 48S ribonucleoprotein particles were constructed by incubating Escherichia coli ribosomal RNA with total 50S ribosomal proteins by a sequential incubation method. By comparing the protein compositions of the two types of particles, the proteins that bind to 37S complexes to form 48S particles have been determined. Although only 48S particles could associate with 30S subunits, isolated 37S reconstituted particles could do so if incubated with exogenous 50S proteins. The proteins that bind under these conditions and confer upon particles the ability to associate are L2, L11, L15, L18 and L25. The involvement of these proteins in 5S RNA binding is discussed.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document