Readthrough transcription occurs at the rho dependent signal F1 TIV in suppressor cells

Abstract

Suppressor cells infected with bacteriophage f1 yield phage encoded gene IV transcripts longer than those present in the supo host and identical to those found in a rho- host. However, such longer transcripts do not appear in the suppressor-infected cell when, by changing the translation frame of gene IV, the ribosome is not allowed to proceed to the end of the gene IV message and thus to reach the rho dependent transcription terminator f1 TIV. This suggests that ribosome movement beyond the natural gene IV stop codon disturbs the activity of that termination signal. In contrast to the rho- behaviour, the suppressor does not accumulate high levels of gene IV messages indicating that the accumulation occurring in the rho- mutant may not be a primary effect of the readthrough per se.