Beta-Galactosidase messenger RNA made during recovery from inhibition of protein synthesis is not translated.

Bacteria that accumulate RNA in the course of inhibition of protein synthesis are impaired in their ability to synthesize beta-galactosidase during subsequent recovery. By contrast, constitutive enzyme synthesis in recovering cells is normal. Even though no beta-galactosidase is made during recovery from this inhibition, a substantial quantity of beta-galactosidase mRNA (as determined by DNA-RNA hybridization) is made. The beta-galactosidase mRNA made in vivo is functional in vitro. It is capable of directing the in vitro synthesis of a portion of the NH2-terminal beta-galactosidase molecule (in the alpha portion of the molecule). However, this protein is not made in vitro. It is concluded that the beta-galactosidase mRNA that is made during recovery from protein synthesis inhibition, although apparently at least partly normally transcribed in vivo and functional in vitro cannot be translated under these conditions in vivo.