[Effect of several factors on synthesis of RNA-polymerase subunits by Escherichia coli K12].

In merodiploid cells containing a double dose of structural genes of RNA polymerase subunits--rpoB and rpoC--the rate of synthesis of beta- and beta'-subunits is 2 times higher than in haploid cells. Missense mutation rpoC1 (tsX) in the beta'-polypeptide gene accelerates the synthesis of both beta- and beta'-subunits, particularly at a nonpermissive temperature. When rpoB-rpoC operon containing mutation rpoC1 is duplicated no dose effect of these genes is observed. In the heterozygous state mutation rpoC1 produces almost no accelerating effect on the synthesis of RNA polymerase subunits i. e. is recessive with respect to the wild allele of rpoC. In the presence of rifampicin the synthesis of RNA polymerase subunits in a sensitive wild-type strain is stimulated 6-fold, the same effect is observed with cells carrying mutation rpoC1, the latter, however, itself accelerates the synthesis of these subunits 3-fold. Thus the effects of rifampicin and the mutation are synergistic indicating that these factors act independently. Similar data have also been obtained with rifampicin-treated cells of rpoB22 amber-mutant. In UV-irradiated cells, amino acid incorporation into beta- and beta'-subunits declines more rapidly than into the total protein. When either irradiated or non-irradiated cells are infected with a transducing phage lambdarifd-47 which carries rpoB gene, the synthesis of beta-proceeds at a higher rate. Irradiation of bacteria before the infection (500 erg/mm2) results in 6.5-fold acceleration of the synthesis induced by subsequent infection with lambdarifd-47 as compared to non-infected non-irradiated cells; the fraction of newly formed beta-polypeptide with respect to total protein grows 20-fold in this case. The data are considered with regard to the possible mechanisms of regulation of synthesis of RNA polymerase subunits.