Degradation of Abnormal Proteins in Escherichia coli
Abstract
Evidence is presented that E. coli contains a mechanism for selective degradation of abnormal proteins. Unfinished polypeptides containing puromycin, proteins containing frequent errors in translation, such as those synthesized by strains containing a ram mutation or a missense suppressor, and proteins containing amino-acid analogs were degraded more rapidly than were normal cell proteins. The degradation of analog- or puromycin-containing proteins appears to be an energy-dependent process. Unlike normal proteins, such proteins were degraded at similar rates by growing and by nongrowing cells.
- Publication:
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- February 1972
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.69.2.422
- Bibcode:
- 1972PNAS...69..422G