Membrane-bound ribonucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli infected with ribonucleic acid bacteriophage R23.

1. A cell membrane-DNA-RNA polymerase complex which contains virtually all of the RNA-synthetic capacity of the cell has been isolated from uninfected and R23-infected Escherichia coli. 2. Infection of E. coli by RNA bacteriophage R23 inhibits the RNA synthetic capacity of the membrane complex. In infected cells some of the RNA synthetic capacity is released from the membrane fraction. 3. The membrane fraction from infected cells synthesizes RNA at a considerably slower rate than that from uninfected cells. 4. R23 infection does not release any DNA from the membrane complex. 5. Exogenous E. coti RNA polymerase is able to synthesize more RNA on the membrane fraction from infected than from uninfected cells possibly because of alterations of the DNA template after infection. 6. DNA in the membrane preparation from infected cells is more sensitive to DNase digestion than that from uninfected cells.