JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 12, 4381-4388, Jun, 1975

Levels and rates of synthesis of ribosomal ribonucleic acid, transfer ribonucleic acid, and protein in Neurospora crassa in different steady states of growth

F. A. Alberghina, E. Sturani and J. R. Gohlke

The levels of ribosomes, tRNA molecules, and total protein per genome in Neurospora mycelia have been determined in eight different conditions of exponential growth. By increasing the rate of growth the number of ribosomes per genome increases dramatically while the level of total protein remains almost unchanged and the level of tRNA increases only slightly. The rates of synthesis of each of the macromolecules have been estimated. Increasing the rate of growth (mu) up to 0.5, the ratio between the rates of synthesis of tRNA and rRNA decreases reaching a constant value. The equations that best describe the dependence of the rate of synthesis of the macromolecules on the rate of growth (mu) have been determined. The rate of rRNA synthesis (rr), expressed as nucleotides polymerized, min- minus 1 per genome, is given by the equation: rr equals 6.51 times 10-7 mu-2-19. The rate of protein synthesis (rp), expressed as amino acids polymerized, min- minus 1 per genome is given by the following relationship: rp equals -1.43 times 10-7 + 3.43 times 10-8 mu. The equation describing the tRNA synthesis (rt) expressed as nucleotides, min- minus 1 per genome is rt equals 6.45 times 10-5 times exp 2.30 mu; however, more accurate determinations appear to be required for a firmer assignment of this latter equation. The significance of these equations for the studies on the regulation of rRNA and protein synthesis is discussed. For instance the rate of rRNA synthesis may set the limit for the maximal growth rate attainable by a cell, as the maximal rate of rRNA synthesis that may take place in a given cell is limited by the degree of redundancy of the rRNA genes.
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