The Interdependence of Magnesium with Spermidine and Phosphoenolpyruvate in an Enzyme‐Synthesizing System in vitro

The DNA‐dependent syntheses of different enzymes of the bacteriophages T3 and T7 were studied in an Escherichia coli system in vitro with respect to the optimal Mg2+ concentration and its interdependence with substituting (e.g. spermidine) and complexing agents (e.g. phospho enol pyruvate). The following results were obtained.1 The optimal conditions for the syntheses of the different enzymes were not identical. The optima for RNA polymerase synthesis were 8 mM Mg2+ , 10 mM P ‐pyruvate and 3 mM spermidine: for S ‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine cleaving enzyme synthesis, 6 mM Mg2+ , 6 mM P ‐pyruvate and 3 mM spermidine; and for lysozyme synthesis, 13‐18 mM Mg2+ , 28 mM P ‐pyruvate and 3‐0 mM spermidine. 2 The optimal conditions for the synthesis of analog enzymes (RNA polymerases and lysozymes) from the two templates were identical within experimental error. 3 Mg2+ and spermidine substituted for each other in relation to the number of their charges. 4. The apparent complexing of one Mg2+ molecule required the addition of 3‐5 P‐ pyruvate molecules. 5 Under the optimal conditions the enzyme‐synthesizing activity was higher by more than a factor of 10 compared to previously described systems.