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 Rapaport, L R Articles by Mackie, G A Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rapaport, L R Articles by Mackie, G A

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1994 February; 176(4): 992-998

research-article

Influence of translational efficiency on the stability of the mRNA for ribosomal protein S20 in Escherichia coli.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

ABSTRACT

A set of plasmids was constructed so as to contain point mutations which limit the efficiency and/or extent of translation of the gene for ribosomal protein S20. These plasmids were transformed into strains carrying mutations in the genes for polynucleotide phosphorylase (pnp-7), RNase E (rne-1), or both. Subsequently, the effect of translational efficiency on mRNA abundance and chemical half-life was determined. The data indicated that mutations altering translational efficiency also affected mRNA levels over a 10-fold range. This variation in mRNA abundance occurred independently of mutations in either RNase E or polynucleotide phosphorylase, both of which determine the stability of the S20 mRNAs. Moreover, a mutation at codon 15 which caused premature termination of translation of the S20 mRNA did not significantly reduce its stability in different genetic backgrounds. We propose a model in which initiation of translation competes for early steps in mRNA turnover, which could be the binding of RNase E itself or as a complex to one or more sites near the 5' terminus of the S20 mRNA.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Yamamoto, S., Kutsukake, K. (2006). FljA-Mediated Posttranscriptional Control of Phase 1 Flagellin Expression in Flagellar Phase Variation of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium. J. Bacteriol. 188: 958-967 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Feng, Y., Vickers, T. A., Cohen, S. N. (2002). The catalytic domain of RNase E shows inherent 3' to 5' directionality in cleavage site selection. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99: 14746-14751 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vytvytska, O., Moll, I., Kaberdin, V. R., von Gabain, A., Bläsi, U. (2000). Hfq (HF1) stimulates ompA mRNA decay by interfering with ribosome binding. Genes Dev. 14: 1109-1118 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Mangan, E. K., Malakooti, J., Caballero, A., Anderson, P., Ely, B., Gober, J. W. (1999). FlbT Couples Flagellum Assembly to Gene Expression in Caulobacter crescentus. J. Bacteriol. 181: 6160-6170 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Coburn, G. A., Mackie, G. A. (1996). Differential Sensitivities of Portions of the mRNA for Ribosomal Protein S20 to 3'-Exonucleases Dependent on Oligoadenylation and RNA Secondary Structure. J. Biol. Chem. 271: 15776-15781 [Abstract] [Full Text]