RNA polymerase synthesis in vitro directed by T7 phage DNA

The effect of the ribosomal protein S1 from Escherichia coli on the synthesis in vitro of bacterial-, DNA phage- and RNA phage proteins

Using an in vitro preparation for protein synthesis, we have studied the effect of the ribosomal protein S1 from Escherichia coli on the synthesis of the coat protein of the RNA-containing phages Qbeta and MS2, on that of an "early" and a "late" enzyme encoded by the DNA containing phage T7, and on that of anthranilate synthetase, an enzyme encoded by the bacterial tryptophan operon. Our results indicate that for the synthesis of these five proteins the presence of S1 is required. From these results we conclude that S1 is an essential protein for the translation of bacterial and bacteriophage messenger RNA.

The role of IF-3 in the translation of T7- and phi80trp messenger RNA

The DNA dependent synthesis of proteins was studied with a system composed of DNA, washed ribosomes, centrifuged (150,000 X g) bacterial extract from Escherichia coli and purified initiation factors IF-1 and IF-2. Synthesis of active enzymes encoded by the tryptophan (trp)-operon of E. coli was found to depend strongly on the addition of IF-3, with the same IF-3 dependency for all 5 gene-products of this operon, irrespective of the presence of the promotor proximal gene trpE. Synthesis of T7 RNA polymerase with T7 DNA as a template, however, was completely independent of the addition of IF-3. The same difference in IF-3 requirement was found when we compared the overall protein synthesis directed by these templates. This difference could be related to the effect of IF-3 on the formation of initiation complexes with the in vitro prepared mRNA: initiation complexes are readily formed with T7 mRNA also in the absence of IF-3, whereas the formation of these complexes with phi80trp mRNA almost completely depends on the presence of this factor.

In vitro synthesis of enzymes of the tryptophan operon of Escherichia coli

A protein fraction, called At (= anti termination) factor, has been isolated from extracts of E. coli and partially purified. The At factor stimulates the synthesis in vitro of anthranilate synthetase, an enzyme encoded by two genes of the tryptophan (trp) operon, but has no effect on the synthesis of T7 RNA polymerase and other T7- and T4 coded proteins. The At factor stimulates the synthesis of trp mRNA; it has no effect on the translation of trp mRNA. We conclude that in vitro transcription of the trp operon is positively controlled.