Effect of Rifampicin on the Infectivity of RNA Bacteriophage f2

Abstract

RNA bacteriophage f2, treated in vitro with rifampicin, loses infectivity dramatically. Rifampicin interacts with phage RNA, binding to a few specific sites. Inhibition of phage RNA infectivity occurs at 10–100 times lower molar excess of rifampicin than inhibition of infectivity of intact phage particles. Thus the phage capsid acts as a barrier, diminishing interaction of the drug with phage RNA. Copyright © 1977, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved