The RNA chain elongation rate in Escherichia coli depends on the growth rate.
We determined the rates of mRNA and protein chain elongation on the lacZ gene during exponential growth on different carbon sources. The RNA chain elongation rate was calculated from measurements of the time elapsing between induction of lacZ expression and detection of specific hybridization with a probe near the 3' end of the mRNA. The elongation rate for the transcripts decreased 40% when the growth rate decreased by a factor of 4, and it always correlated with the rate of translation elongation. A similar growth rate dependency was seen for transcription on the infB gene and on a part of the rrnB gene fused to a synthetic, inducible promoter. However, the untranslated RNA chain specified by the rrnB gene was elongated nearly twice as fast as the two mRNA species encoded by infB and lacZ.
Vogel
U
U
Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jensen
K F
KF
D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D007763:Lac Operon; D008757:Methylglucosides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010441:Peptide Chain Elongation, Translational; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D039881:Prokaryotic Initiation Factor-2; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D015347:RNA Probes; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D008757:Methylglucosides; D010448:Peptide Initiation Factors; D039881:Prokaryotic Initiation Factor-2; D015347:RNA Probes; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C027020:methylglucoside