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. 1980 Feb;77(2):870–874. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.2.870

Formylmethionyl-tRNA alters RNA polymerase specificity.

P G Debenham, O Pongs, A A Travers
PMCID: PMC348383  PMID: 6987670

Abstract

Escherichia coli fMet-tRNAfMet alters the pattern of promoter selection of E. coli RNA polymerase (RNA nucleotidyltransferase, nucleosidetriphosphate:RNA nucleotidyltransferase; EC 2.7.7.6), affecting RNA synthesis from the rRNA, suIII+tRNA, and lac promoters in different ways. The in vitro synthesis of the stable RNA species is selectively decreased, whereas that of lac RNA from both the wild-type and mutant UV5 promoters is selectively increased at high ionic strength. The functional effect of fMet-tRNAfMet resembles that of the nucleotide guanosine 3'-diphosphate 5'-diphosphate (ppGpp). This nucleotide competes with the binding of fMet-tRnafMet to RNA polymerase.

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Selected References

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