On the mechanism of rifampicin inhibition of RNA synthesis.

The mechanism of rifampicin inhibition of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase was studied with a newly developed steady state assay for RNA chain initiation and by analysis of the products formed with several 5'-terminal nucleotides. The major effect of rifampicin was found to be a total block of the translocation step that would ordinarily follow formation of the first phosphodiester bond. These effects were incorporated into a steric model for rifampicin inhibition. Additional minor effects of the enzyme bound inhibitor were to increase slightly the lifetime of RNA polymerase on the lambdaPR' promoter and to increase by two the apparent Michaelis constants of the initiating triphosphates. The products formed by RNA polymerase in the presence of rifampicin belong nearly exclusively to the class pppPupN. No evidence for the accumulation of such molecules was obtained in vivo.     

The induction of nucleolar fragmentation and the inhibition of RNA synthesis in HeLa cells by MPB and their restoration

The effects of MPB on the staining intensity of pyronine G, the fine structure of HeLa cell nucleoli and RNA synthesis were investigated. MPB (50 μg/ml) produced a loss of pyronine G staining material (RNA) and fragmentation of nucleoli in HeLa cells within 3 h; however, these changes in nucleoli were rapidly reversed by removal of the drug. These morphological alterations of nucleoli were apparently related to the inhibitory action of MPB on nucleolar RNA synthesis in HeLa cells, and its reversibility.     

Reversible inhibition of RNA synthesis and irreversible inhibition of protein synthesis by D-galactosamine in isolated mouse hepatocytes

Summary The inhibition of RNA synthesis of isolated mouse liver parenchymal cells caused by 10 mM D-galactosamine was reversible, while the inhibition of protein synthesis remained unaltered after the removal of galactosamine. 10^–5 M epinephrine and 10^–7 M glucagon have been shown to decrease aminoglycogen formation and thus to reduce the inhibitory effect of galactosamine on protein synthesis (11). However, these hormones did not decrease the inhibition of RNA synthesis. 10 mM D-galactosamine did not effect the nucleoside and amino acid incorporation of isolated non-parenchymal mouse liver cells. The predominant role of aminoglycogen in the inhibition of protein synthesis in galactosamine induced liver injury is discussed.     

A possible mechanism of inhibition of protein synthesis by dimethylnitrosamine

1. The incorporation of [¹⁴C]leucine into liver proteins of rats was measured in vivo at various times after treatment of the animals with dimethylnitrosamine and was correlated with the state of the liver ribosomal aggregates. Inhibition of incorporation ran parallel with breakdown of the aggregates. 2. Inhibition of leucine incorporation into protein and breakdown of ribosomal aggregates were not preceded by inhibition of incorporation of [¹⁴C]orotate into nuclear RNA of the liver. 3. Evidence was obtained of methylation of nuclear RNA in the livers of rats treated with [¹⁴C]dimethylnitrosamine. 4. Zonal centrifugation analysis of radioactive, nuclear, ribosomal and transfer RNA from livers of rats treated with [¹⁴C]dimethylnitrosamine revealed labelling of all centrifugal fractions to about the same extent. 5. It is suggested that methylation of messenger RNA might occur in the livers of dimethylnitrosamine-treated rats and the possible relation of this to inhibition of hepatic protein synthesis is discussed.     

Sulfur-dependent inhibition of protein and RNA synthesis by iron-grown Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

The addition of sulfur to iron-grown Thiobacillus ferrooxidans resulted in a rapid inhibition in the rates of protein synthesis and RNA synthesis. The inhibition of both functions was measured within 15 to 30 min and was maximal between 70 and 90% compared to the iron-grown controls. DNA synthesis, carbon dioxide fixation, and short-term ferrous oxidation rates of the bacteria growing on ferrous ions were not effected by sulfur addition, indicating that the sulfur addition was not perturbing general cellular energy metabolism. The inhibition caused by sulfur mimicked the effect of the RNA synthesis inhibitor, rifampicin, which inhibited both RNA and protein synthesis, but did not correspond with the translational inhibitor, chloramphenicol, which inhibited only protein synthesis in the first hour. Since chloramphenicol pretreatment did not block the sulfur effect, the inhibition of RNA synthesis following sulfur addition was not mediated through protein synthesis.     

The mechanism of inhibition of bacteriophage T7 RNA synthesis by acridines, diacridines and actinomycin D.

A homologous series of diacridines, as well as 9-amino acridine, were assayed for their ability to interfere with the synthesis of RNA (bands U-VI) by bacteriophage T7 DNA-dependent RNA polymerase transcribing T7 DNA in vitro; their action was compared to that of actinomycin D. It was found that, in contrast to actinomycin D which inhibits chain elongation, the acridines tested inhibited chain initiation only; no evidence for inhibition of chain elongation was noted. No clear-cut differentiation between single and double intercalators on the mechanism of inhibition of RNA synthesis could be determined, except that the latter are more potent inhibitors. However, it appears that diacridines connected with a diethyldiamine and a butyldiamine chain are less inhibitory to the synthesis of the RNA of Bands III and IV. The results furthermore indicate that the estimation of the number average molecular weight alone, without identification of the product RNA, is a potentially misleading method of determining the mode of action of these drugs.     

Inhibitory effects of nucleoside triphosphates on nucleolar RNA synthesis.

Studies on the effects of substrates on RNA polymerase I [EC 2.7.7.6] in vitro showed that nucleolar RNA synthesis was inhibited by an excess of substrate nucleoside triphosphates in the presence of Mg2+. GTP and UTP were more inhibitory than CTP and ATP. These compounds specfically inhibited nucleolar RNA synthesis and a concentration of GTP that strongly inhibited nucleolar RNA synthesis did not inhibit RNA synthesis by partially purified RNA polymerase I. The inhibition of nucleolar RNA synthesis disappeared at pH 9.0 without any change in the apparent Km for GTP or the Vmax of RNA synthesis.     

Alterations in the processing of rat-liver ribosomal RNA caused by cycloheximide inhibition of protein synthesis.

Cycloheximide given in vivo at low doses (2--5 mg/kg body weight) causes within 30 min a complete inhibition of protein synthesis in rat liver. The labelling of nuclear proteint is also strongly inhibited. Under these conditions, the amount of nucleolar 45-S pre-rRNA and its [14C]-orotate labelling remain unaffected for at least 4 h. These results show that initially the rates of synthesis and processing of 45-S pre-rRNA are not appreciably altered. On the other hand, drastic alterations in the 45-S pre-rRNA processing pathways occur at the early stages of cycloheximide action. Formation of 18-S rRNA is abolished and that of 28S rRNA is reduced to about half the level in control rats. This dichotomy in the production of the two ribosomal particles may be correlated with a block in the formation of 41-S and 21-S pre-rRNA. Generation of 36-S and 32-S pre-rRNA is still taking place, but the rate of their processing to nucleolar 28-S rRNA is decreased, thus causing the accumulation of these two pre-rRNA species. In parallel, processing of 45-S pre-rRNA to an aberrant 39-S rRNA species is markedly enhanced. The results obtained show that the channelling of nucleolar pre-rRNA along alternative processing pathways is under stringent control by the continuous supply of critical protein(s).     

Early nucleolar preribosomal RNA - protein in mammalian cells.

Early steps of ribosomal maturation have been studied by analysis of nucleolar extracts using different extraction procedures. Early 45-S nucleolar RNA is found to be associated with slowly sedimenting elements, distinct from previously described 80-S and 55-S nucleolar preribosomes. This early 45-S RNA has been shown to be of preribosomal type according to the following criteria. (a) When hybridized with nucleolar DNA, competition with rRNA can be observed; (b) its biosynthesis is sensitive to low doses of actinomycin D; (c) it is methylated at an early stage; (d) it contains no linked poly(A) segments. This early 45-S RNA seems to be specifically linked with proteins. The protein content of these early RNA-protein complexes is significantly lower than that for 80-S preribosomes. 45-S RNA sensitivity to nucleolytic activities that can take place in the course of preribosome extraction has been found to be higher in these RNA-protein complexes than in 80-S preribosomes. Identical results were obtained when different mammalian cell species were studied (rat, hamster, or HeLa cells).