Summary
Preincubation of E. coli core RNA polymerase lacking sigma-factor with limiting amounts of T2-DNA markedly decreases subsequent synthesis of RNA by RNA polymerase holoenzyme. Hence, although the core binds to DNA more weakly than does the holoenzyme, it can actively compete with RNA polymerase for the DNA template.
Both core RNA polymerase and holoenzyme from uninfected bacteria are effective in competition with RNA polymerase isolated from T2-infected cells. On the other hand the enzyme obtained from T2-infected cells compete weakly with RNA polymerase from E. coli. The incubation of bacterial core-enzyme with a supernatant protein fraction obtained from phage-infected bacteria lowers its ability to compete with normal RNA polymerase for DNA template.
These results are discussed from the viewpoint that in certain cases the RNA polymerase itself can act as a kind of repressor, effecting negative regulation of RNA synthesis. The modification of core and formation of anti-sigma induced by bacteriophage could participate in such kind of regulation.
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Khesin, R.B., Bogdanova, E.S., Goldfarb, A.D. et al. Competition for the DNA template between RNA polymerase molecules from normal and phage-infected E. coli . Molec. Gen. Genet. 119, 299–314 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272088
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00272088