[Non-coordinated transcription of RNA polymerase beta,beta'-polypeptide genes and adjacent ribosomal protein genes in Escherichia coli cells].

When E. coli protein synthesis was blocked by chloramphenicol (100 micrograms/ml) or by essential amino acid deprivation, the transcription rates of rplKAJL genes (the ones for L11, L4, L10 and L7/L12 ribosomal proteins) and adjacent rpoBC genes (genes for RNA polymerase beta- and beta'-polypeptides) have been non-coordinately changed. The level of the gene transcription rate was obtained from RNA--DNA hybridization assays with E. coli pulse-labelled RNA and pJC703 or pJC720 plasmid DNA. The transcription of ribosomal protein genes has been found to be uncoupled with translation and controlled by the allelic state of relA gene. Conversely, the effective transcription of proBC gene was relA independent and coupled with translation of the mRNA. Chloramphenicol-induced transcription polarity within rplKAJL-rpoBC chromosome region can be suppressed by 10 micrograms/ml rifampicin.