The effects of bisulfite on growth and macromolecular synthesis in Escherichia coli

Chemico-biological Interactions
N K RobakisW Szer

Abstract

Bisulfite reversibly inhibits the growth of a variety of microorganisms and has been used as a preservative in foods and beverages for that reason. We have now measured macromolecule synthesis in Escherichia coli K12 after bisulfite treatment. RNA synthesis, the synthesis of total protein, and of an inducible enzyme, beta-galactosidase, stopped almost immediately upon addition of 2 mM (or higher concentrations) of bisulfite. These functions resumed after a lag whose duration depended on the concentration of bisulfite added. The synthesis of DNA was slowed upon bisulfite addition, but did not stop entirely. The inhibition of RNA synthesis by bisulfite took place in both stringent and relaxed strains of E. coli and was not relieved upon addition of chloramphenicol. Stringent control was therefore not involved in this effect. No effect on protein synthesis was observed in the cell-free system of E. coli (using poly(U) or MS2 RNA as messenger) at bisulfite concentrations up to 10 mM. Protein synthesis inhibition in vivo was apparently not due to a reaction of bisulfite with a component of this system. In additional experiments, RNA polymerase was not impaired by bisulfite, and the growth inhibition effect was shown to proceed in th...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1979·Annual Review of Genetics·J A Gallant
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Jan 1, 1976·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·T V Ramabhadran, J Jagger
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Citations

Jan 1, 1991·American Journal of Industrial Medicine·M A McDiarmidR Duffy
Feb 1, 1995·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Michael TravisanoRichard E Lenski
Mar 1, 1983·Chemico-biological Interactions·N K RobakisW Szer

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