Open AccessRifampidn inhibition of RNA synthesis by destabilisation of DNA-RNA polymerase-oligonucleotide-complexes
Author(s) -
Wolfgang A. Schulz,
Wolfram Zillig
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/9.24.6889
Subject(s) - destabilisation , oligonucleotide , biology , rna , nucleic acid , rna polymerase , dna , polymerase , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , gene , medicine , nursing
Although the antibiotic rifampicin inhibits the transcription of poly[d(A-T)] by E.coli RNA polymerase, a series of short oligonucleotides is produced. It is claimed that the overall inhibition of RNA synthesis by rifampicin is caused by a destabilising effect on the binding of the intermediate oligonucleotides to the active enzyme-DNA complex. Rifampicin itself can only interact specifically with RNA polymerase if the enzyme is free or in a binary complex with DNA. However, the enzyme is not susceptible in a ternary complex, even if the "RNA" is as short as a trinucleotide.