Effect of triphenylmethane derivatives on cell-free macromolecular synthesis. II. mRNA-ribosome binding.

The specific inhibition by aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) of mRNA binding to ribosomes was re-examined. Among triphenylmethane compounds, all of which are potent inhibitors for phenylalanyl=tRNA synthetase, ATA is the most potent inhibitor. Two other dyes, Aurine and Azure Blue B, inhibit the reaction, but the concentration for 50% inhibition is far higher than that for ATA. It appears that the presence of the carboxyl group on the skeletal-triphenylmethane structure enhances the inhibition of the mRNA-binding reactionmthis feature is slightly different from that of the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase reaction, in which the skeletal structure of the dye itself is essential to its inhibitory action.