The accuracy of Qβ RNA translation 1. Errors during the synthesis of Qβ proteins by intact <em>Escherichia coli</em> cells.

The fidelity of Qβ RNA translation by intact Escherichia coli cells has been studied. After infection, host protein synthesis was eliminated by adding rifampicin and the radioactive, phage-specified, proteins separated by one or two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Labeled histidine and tryptophan were incorporated into the phage coat protein, whose message does not specify these amino acids, at a frequency of 0.09–0.13 per molecule. Errors leading to a change in the pI of the coat protein occurred at a rate of 0.05 per molecule, while the coat protein UGA stop codon was misread 6.5% of the time. These error talcs arc similar to data in some recent publications but much higher than the canonical 3–4 × 10^-4. They further provide are reference point in vivo to which the translation of the same message by E. coli extracts can be compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]