Inhibition of Escherichia coli chromosome replication by rifampicin treatment or during the stringent response is overcome by de novo DnaA protein synthesis

What is it about?

Both rifampicin and high levels of ppGpp affect the E. coli RNA polymerase (RNAP), and lead to reduced dnaA gene transcription and cessation of initiation of chromosome replication (A). Replication initiation does however continue when DnaA is de novo synthesized from a rifampicin-resistant and ppGpp-insensitive T7 RNAP-dependent promoter (B). Therefore, both rifampicin and ppGpp inhibit initiation of replication primarily by limiting DnaA synthesis.

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