RIBONUCLEIC ACIDS OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS SPORES AND SPORULATING CELLS

Abstract

The ribonucleic-acids (RNA) of Bacillus subtilis spores were analyzed for their size and base composition. Soluble and ribosomal RNA indentical to those found in vegetative cells were present in spores. A base ratio difference was observed between the 16s and 23s ribosomal RNA. The 16s RNA had a higher cytldylate and lower adenylate base composition. The ratio of soluble to ribosomal RNA in spores was 30%, in contrast to 15% in vegetative cells, and may be related to their difference in biosynthetlc activity. Although active synthesis of informational RNA occurred prior to endospore formation, no detectable level of informational RNA was found in spores. The informational RNA was shown to have the same base composition as that of B subtilis deoxyribonucleic-acid. The compositional difference between spore and vegetative cell RNA appeared to be strictly quantitative.