Studies of the impaired inducibility in relaxed mutants of Escherichia coli

Abstract

Escherichia coli RC rel strains exhibit an unusually long induction lag following unbalanced RNA synthesis. Only induced enzyme synthesis is impaired; general protein synthesis and constitutive enzyme production occur during this period. The excess induction lag is a direct consequence of the prior unbalanced RNA synthesis and responds to the presence or absence of an exogenous energy source. Enhanced catabolite or specific repressions do not appear to be causal.