Summary
It is known that the drugs rifampicin and streptolydigin both inhibit E. coli RNA polymerase by binding to its β polypeptide subunit. We have previously shown that addition of rifampicin to a strain of E. coli containing both rifampicin-sensitive and-resistant RNA polymerase molecules causes an immediate reduction, in the rates of RNA and total protein synthesis but induces a marked increase in the rate of synthesis of the RNA polymerase subunits β and β′. We now show that addition of streptolydigin to an isogenic strain, containing streptolydigin-sensitive and-resistant RNA polymerase, causes a closely similar reduction in the rates of RNA and total protein synthesis. In this case, however, the rate of β and β′ synthesis declines, closely paralleling the rate of total, protein synthesis. We discuss the implications of these results in relation to the control of RNA polymerase subunit synthesis.
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Tittawella, I.P.B., Hayward, R.S. Different effects of rifampicin and streptolydigin on the control of RNA polymerase subunit synthesis in Escherichia coli . Molec. Gen. Genet. 134, 181–186 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268419
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268419