Ribonucleic acid synthesis and thymineless death

Abstract

Conditions which uncouple the net synthesis of RNA and of protein in the absence of thymine have been examined in E. coli B3 to determine whether either of these macromolecular syntheses is specifically correlated with thymineless death. Thymineless death can occur when protein synthesis and cell growth are strongly inhibited. Under such conditions the extent of thymineless death is closely correlated with the unbalanced synthesis of RNA. Death can be prevented by inhibiting RNA synthesis. The nucleotide composition of RNA synthesized during thymineless death does not differ significantly from the RNA made during normal growth in the presence of thymine.