Synthesis of ribonucleic acid in purine-deficient Escherichia coli and a comparison with the effects of amino acid starvation.

1. Experiments with rifampicin and stringent strains of Escherichia coli (pro(-)purB(-)rel(+)) indicate that purine deficiency does not decrease and may considerably increase the potential for RNA synthesis by RNA polymerase molecules that are bound to DNA and have already commenced transcription. 2. DNA-RNA hybridization experiments indicate that purine starvation increases the distribution of bound RNA polymerase molecules between the cistrons for mRNA and those for stable RNA. 3. Synthesis of beta-galactosidase mRNA is more dependent on the ability to synthesize guanine nucleotides than on the ability to synthesize adenine nucleotides. 4. Amino acid starvation tends to decrease the potential for RNA synthesis by RNA polymerase molecules bound to DNA. 5. Since this effect differs from that due to purine starvation, amino acid control of RNA synthesis does not appear to operate solely by causing a deficiency of purine nucleotides. 6. The results are discussed in terms of the ability to initiate RNA chains and to extend them under different circumstances.