title: Rifampicin inhibition of RNA synthesis by destabilisation of DNA-RNA polymerase-oligonucleotide-complexes.
abstract: Although the antibiotic rifampicin inhibits the transcription of poly[d(A-T)] by E.coli RNA polymerase, a series of short oligonucleotides is produced. It is claimed that the overall inhibition of RNA synthesis by rifampicin is caused by a destabilising effect on the binding of the intermediate oligonucleotides to the active enzyme-DNA complex. Rifampicin itself can only interact specifically with RNA polymerase if the enzyme is free or in a binary complex with DNA. However, the enzyme is not susceptible in a ternary complex, even if the "RNA" is as short as a trinucleotide.
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011067:Poly dA-dT / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D011067:Poly dA-dT; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D012293:Rifampin