title: Stability of bacterial messenger RNA in mesophiles and thermophiles.
abstract: The decay of [3H]uridine-labeled mRNA was measured in the mesophile, Bacillus licheniformis (grown at 37 degrees C and 46 degrees C), and in the thermophile, Bacillus stearothermophilus (grown at 46 degrees C and 55 degrees C). For each organism, the half-life of the mRNA decreased as the growth temperature was increased. The stability index (half-life of mRNA/doubling time of cells), however, was remarkably constant for each organism regardless of the growth temperature. It is concluded that these results support the concept that kinetic considerations play a significant role in the explanation of thermophily.
mesh_terms: D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger