Processing of precursor ribosomal RNA and the presence of a modified ribosome assembly scheme in Escherichia coli relaxed strain

An electrophoretic system capable of separating 25 S, 23 S, 17.5 S and 16 S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) species was used to study the synthesis and fate of rRNA during amino acid starvation and resupplementation of E. coli relaxed strain KL99. This E. coli relA1 strain responded to an amino acid starvation by increasing the rate of synthesis of 25 S and 17.5 S precursor rRNA. When the limiting amino acid was resupplemented, a previously observed 40-fold increase in the cellular guanosine 5'-diphosphate, 3'-diphosphate content [Mol. Gen. Genet. (1983) 192, 5-9] appeared to cause a reduction in new rRNA synthesis. Following amino acid resupplementation, the precursor 25 S and 17.5 S rRNA accumulated during the amino acid starvation were conserved and processed to 23 S and 16 S rRNA species, respectively. This suggests that a modified ribosome assembly scheme involving stable precursor rRNA exists in relA 1 bacteria during periods of amino acid limitation and resupplementation.