In vivo synthesis of a polycistronic messenger RNA for the ribosomal proteins L11, L1, L10 and L7/12 in Escherichia coli.

Sucrose density gradient centrifugation and DNA/RNA hybridization have been used to analyse the mRNA synthesized from the ribosomal protein - RNA polymerase subunits gene cluster rplKAJL-rpoBC in Escherichia coli. DNA/RNA hybrids obtained from total E. coli RNA and specific DNA restriction fragments from this chromosomal area were further subjected to endonuclease S1 digestion. This analysis permits the mapping of the ends of mRNA molecules for specific genes or operons by sizing the S1 resistant hybrids. Our results show that the predominant mRNA synthesized under conditions of balanced growth from the rplKAJL-rpoBC region codes for the four ribosomal proteins L11, L1, L10 and L7/12. This tetracistronic mRNA puts the transcription of the following rpoBC genes under the main control of the L11 promoter. Smaller distinct mRNA species could also be detected by this technique. They originate from intercistronic transcription termination and re-initiation as well as from processing of the larger polycistronic mRNA.