Translational, autogenous regulation of gene 32 expression during bacteriophage T4 infection.

Functional half-life measurements of the bacteriophage T4 gene 32 messenger RNA indicate that this mRNA is extremely stable. Regulation of gene 32 expression at the transcriptional level cannot account for the rapidity with which P32 synthesis can be repressed. Furthermore, derepression of P32 synthesis occurs in the presence of rifampicin, a drug which inhibits transcriptional initiation. In addition, T4-infected cultures in which P32 expression is repressed possess almost as much gene 32 mRNA as derepressed cultures. We conclude that expression of the T4 gene 32 protein is regulated at the level of translation.