Effect of changing DNA concentration on macromolecular synthesis rates and cell composition

Range Table - link
Organism Bacteria Escherichia coli
Reference Churchward G, Bremer H, Young R. Transcription in bacteria at different DNA concentrations. J Bacteriol. 1982 May150(2):572-81. p.578 table 4PubMed ID6175615
Method Abstract:"The effect of changing the DNA concentration on RNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and cell growth rate was studied in Escherichia coli B/r. The DNA concentration was varied by changing the replication velocity or by changing replication initiation in a thymine-requiring strain with a mutation in replication control."
Comments p.579 right column 3rd paragraph:”The strain TJK16 has all genes in a lower concentration than its wild-type B/r parent, and since the rate of total transcription per OD460 unit is the same in TJK16 as in B/r (Table 4), the genes producing the bulk of stable RNA and mRNA must be more active in TJK16 than in B/r. This is interpreted as a reflection of the increase in the concentration of free (cytoplasmic) RNA polymerase (ref 3) due to the decreased DNA concentration. The fact that the relative proportions of rRNA and mRNA synthesis were not affected by changes in DNA concentration (Table 3 BNID 111678) suggests that any differences in individual gene activities do not reflect a guanosine tetraphosphate-dependent control of RNA polymerase conformation (ref 40).” See notes beneath table
Entered by Uri M
ID 111679