The effect of trimethoprim on macromolecular synthesis in Escherichia coli. Ribosome maturation in RCstr and RCrel strains.

When Escherichia coli was inhibited with trimethoprim in media supplemented with nucleotide bases, glycine and methionine, both RC(str) and RC(rel) strains continued to accumulate RNA at rates very close to those in growing controls. The effects of trimethoprim on protein synthesis were studied by using as an experimental basis the rate of maturation of ribosomal particles from RNA-rich precursors. 1. In RC(str) cultures given nucleotide bases but no amino acids, RNA accumulation was inhibited because of amino acid lack. However, maturation of ribosomes from their precursors was more severely inhibited than was the synthesis of rRNA. The restraints on protein synthesis were more severe at the level of translation than the transcription of operons specific for the formation of ribosomal proteins. The kinetic delay time in the passage of rRNA from RNA-rich intermediates to the final ribosome products was therefore increased some three- to four-fold. 2. In RC(rel) cultures in the same conditions, trimethoprim inhibition stopped ribosomal particle synthesis, but rRNA-rich precursors accumulated. 3. If glycine+methionine were also added to inhibited RC(str) cultures, RNA accumulation resumed at a high rate. However, ribosomal maturation was still considerably disturbed because of a disproportionate response of the cells in the formation of protein and RNA. 4. With RC(rel) cultures, addition of the amino acids caused a large increase in the rate of ribosome maturation, though the degree of disproportionation between the rates of rRNA and ribosomal protein synthesis was now identical with that found in RC(str) strains. 5. When inhibited RC(rel) cultures were supplemented, there was still a severe inhibition of protein synthesis at the level of chain initiation, but inaccuracies in the process of polypeptide chain elongation were greatly decreased. This suggests that the effects of the RC(rel) mutation on the fidelity of protein synthesis in bacteria are not directed at the point of chain initiation.