[Reduced catalytic effectiveness of RNA polymerase I in hepatocytes of rats treated with cycloheximide].

Rat liver RNA polymerase I solubilized from isolated nuclei and present in a soluble form in the cytoplasmic fraction has been analyzed by phosphocellulose chromatography 3 hours after the administration of cycloheximide. The antibiotic did not induce any change in the chromatographic properties of both nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA polymerase I. They appeared to remain in the IB and IA forms, characteristic of the transcribing (IB) and non-transscribing (IA) enzyme. While the level of the nuclear enzyme was not modified, the level of the cytoplasmic one appeared significantly increased. These results support previous ones indicating that the cycloheximide-induced inhibition of ribosomal RNA synthesis cannot be merely explained by a decrease in the nuclear or cellular level of RNA polymerase I. The cellular level of RNA polymerase I, taking into account the relative proportion of the enzyme found in nuclei and cytoplasm, appeared to be slightly increased. Cycloheximide administration did not seem to result in the appearance, in intact nuclei, of enzyme molecules in a free form or as blocked transcription complexes. It is concluded that the antibiotic affects the catalytic efficiency rather than the number of RNA polymerase I molecules actually engaged in the transcription of ribosomal cistrone.