Abstract
The amino acid regulation of RNA synthesis inLactobacillus acidophilus was studied and found to be of stringent character. The synthesis of RNA was inhibited in the absence of essential amino acids in the medium, this inhibition being released by chloramphenicol or chlortetracycline. The RNA synthesized in the presence of the above inhibitors was not stable. The results do not support the hypothesis that the release of RNA synthesis by chloramphenicol is due to an increased pool of free amino acids, in consequence to the inhibition of protein synthesis. Chloramphenicol removed the inhibition of RNA synthesis at the same rate as the amino acids themselves. The pool of free leucine or histidine decreased to 60% in the absence of exogenous amino acids and it was not raised on adding chloramphenicol. The results are in agreement with the assumption that the synthesis of ribosomal RNA in bacteria is controlled by the equilibrium between polysomes and free ribosomes. Further, the results point to a possible limiting role of proteins in the regulation of ribosomal RNA synthesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Borek, E., Rockenbach, J., Ryan, A.:Studies on a mutant of Escherichia coli with unbalanced ribonucleic acid synthesis. J. Bac. 71: 318, 1955.
Britton, R. J., McClure, F. T.:The amino acids pool in Escherichia coli. Bac. Rev. 26: 292, 1962.
Friesen, J. D., Maaløe, O.:On the control of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis by amino acids in Escherichia coli. Bioch. biop. Acta 95: 436, 1965.
Hash, J. H., Wishnick, M., Miller, P. A.:On the mode of action of the tetracycline antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus. J. biol. Chem. 239: 2070, 1964.
Horowitz, J., Lombard, A., Chargaff, E.:Aspects of the stability of a ribonucleic acid. J. biol. Chem. 233: 1517, 1958.
Koukalová, B., Soška, J., Reich, J.:Inhibition of thymine synthesis in Lactobacillus acidophilus R-26 by deoxyadenosine-5′-monophosphate. Ant. v. Leeuwenhoek J. Microbiol. Serol. 33: 17, 1967.
Kurland, C. G., Maaløe, O.:Regulation of ribosomal and transfer RNA synthesis. J. mol. Biol. 4: 193, 1962.
Maaløe, O., Hanawalt, P. C.:Thymine deficiency and the normal DNA replication cycle. I. J. mol. Biol. 3: 144, 1961.
Morris, D. W., DeMoss, J. A.:Role of aminoacyl-transfer ribonucleic acid in the regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 90: 1624, 1965.
Morris, D. W., DeMoss, J. A.:Polysome transitions and the regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. 56: 262, 1966.
Nakada, D., Marguisee, M. J.:Relaxed synthesis of ribosome RNA by a “stringent” strain of Escherichia coli. J. mol. Biol. 13: 351, 1965.
Reeve, E. C. R., Bishop, J. O.:Multi-step resistance to chloramphenicol in RC-stringent Escherichia coli K 12—its effect on the induction of RNA synthesis by antibiotics under amino acid starvation. Genet. Res. 6: 304, 1965.
Ron, E. Z., Kohler, R. E., Davis, B. D.:Increased stability of polysomes in an Escherichia coli mutant with relaxed control of RNA synthesis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. 56: 471, 1966.
Soška, J.:Growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus in the absence of folic acid. J. Bacteriol. 91: 1840, 1966.
Soška, J., Lark, K. G.:Regulation of nucleic acid synthesis in Lactobacillus acidophilus R-26. Biochim. biophys. Acta 119: 526, 1966.
Soška, J., Koukalová, B., Reich, J.:Die Bedeutung der Aminosäuren und RNS in der Regulation der Chromosomen-Replikation in Lactobacillus acidophilus. Studia biophysica 1: Heft s3, 163, 1966.
Stent, G. S., Brenner, S.:A genetic locus for the regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. 47: 2005, 1961.
Suarez, G., Nathans, D.:Inhibition of aminoacyl—sRNA binding to ribosomes by tetracycline. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 18: 743, 1965.
Weber, M. J., DeMoss, J. A.:The inhibition by chloramphenicol of nascent protein formation in Escherichia coli. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. 55: 1224, 1966.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koukalová, B., Reich, J. Stringent control of RNA synthesis inLactobacillus acidophilus . Folia Microbiol 13, 20–27 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866857
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02866857