Correlation of the rate of protein synthesis and the third power of the RNA : protein ratio in Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
In order to further understand the different physiological states of the tubercle bacillus, a frame of reference was sought by first correlating the macromolecular compositions of Escherichia coli with specific growth rates and also with the rates of protein synthesis. Data for DNA : protein : RNA were converted to the average amounts of DNA [m(DNA(av))], protein [m(p(av))] and RNA [m(RNA(av))] per cell. The specific growth rate micro was found to be directly proportional to m(RNA(av))/m(p(av)). The specific protein synthesis rate per average cell [omega(p(av))] was shown to be directly proportional to the third power of the ratio m(RNA(av))/m(p(av)) which reflects the ribosome concentration. The equations derived were shown apply to both E. coli ( micro =1.73 h(-1)) and Mycobacterium bovis BCG ( micro =0.029 h(-1)).
Cox
Robert A
RA
Division of Mycobacterial Research, National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, UK.
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008954:Models, Biological; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012329:RNA, Bacterial