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Effect of 5-fluorouracil posttreatment on sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and course of messenger RNA synthesis inEscherichia coli cells

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Abstract

The effect of 5-FU posttreatment and uracil starvation on sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and on the course of messenger RNA synthesis was studied in the strainsEscherichia coli 15 T-U-his-,Escherichia coli BU- andEscherichia coli Br. 5-FU posttreatment in liquid medium increased the number of surviving cells, while posttreatment in uracil medium either did not affect resistance or lowered it. A correlation was sought between increased resistance and messenger RNA synthesis (or stabilization). Messenger RNA synthesis was studied by means of pulse-labelling with radioactive precursor and the amount of m-RNA was determined by measuring total RNA proteosynthetic activity. It was found that the amount of RNA with messenger activity increased in cells treated with 5-FU, but that it decreased during cultivation in uracil medium. It is assumed that the 5-FU-induced increase in resistance is based on the preferential promotion of repair processes under conditions of a reduced turnover and the consequent stabilization of the m-RNA molecules. The possible mechanism of this promotion is discussed.

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Abbreviations

m-RNA:

messenger RNA

s-RNA:

soluble RNA

TCA:

trichloracetic acid

5-FU:

5-fluorouracil

MAK:

methylated serum albumin Kieselguhr column

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava

    J. Brozmanová, M. Sedliaková, E. Štefunková & V. Slezáriková

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  1. J. Brozmanová
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  2. M. Sedliaková
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  3. E. Štefunková
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  4. V. Slezáriková
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Brozmanová, J., Sedliaková, M., Štefunková, E. et al. Effect of 5-fluorouracil posttreatment on sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation and course of messenger RNA synthesis inEscherichia coli cells. Folia Microbiol 16, 114–125 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887481

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887481

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