This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Juengst, F. W. Articles by Dworkin, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Juengst, F. W., Jr. Articles by Dworkin, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1973 February; 113(2): 786-797
Copyright © 1973 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Ribonucleic Acid and Protein Synthesis During Germination of Myxococcus xanthus Myxospores

^a Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

ABSTRACT

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein synthesis during myxospore germination were examined. When RNA synthesis was inhibited more than 90% by either actinomycin D (Act D) or rifampin, germination was prevented. The data were consistent with the interpretation that rifampin did not interfere with protein synthesis in any way other than by inhibition of messenger RNA formation. Act D concentrations as high as 20 µg/ml did not totally inhibit RNA synthesis. In the presence of 8 µg of Act D/ml, germinating myxospores synthesized transfer RNA, 16S RNA, and 23S RNA. Evidence was presented which indicated that messenger RNA was also synthesized early in the germination period both in the presence and absence of 8 µg of Act D/ml. One explanation for the escape synthesis of RNA in germinating myxospores is that Act D exerts a differential effect on the transcription of larger versus smaller cistrons, the latter having a lower probability of binding Act D. We have found that in the presence of 8 µg of Act D/ml, escape RNA synthesis in myxospores was 25% for 23S RNA, 55% for 16S RNA, and more than 90% for 4S RNA. We have shown that germination of myxospores requires both RNA and protein synthesis during the first 25 to 35 min in germination medium. This finding does not support the earlier suggestion by Ramsey and Dworkin that a stable germination messenger RNA is required for germination of the myxospores of Myxococcus xanthus.

¹ Present address: Department of Agronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Tzeng, L., Singer, M. (2005). DNA replication during sporulation in Myxococcus xanthus fruiting bodies. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 14428-14433 [Abstract] [Full Text]