Selective inhibition of protein synthesis initiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by low concentrations of cycloheximide.

We have previously determined the amounts of time required to complete various macromolecular synthetic processes needed for induction of allophanate hydrolase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This information provided a means of testing, in vivo, an early hypothesis suggesting that cycloheximide inhibited the initiation as well as elongation steps of protein synthesis. Our data suggest that initiation of protein synthesis in yeast may be inhibited by low concentrations of cycloheximide which do not significantly affect polypeptide chain elongation.